Oblivion and Beyond
by Alderich63
Summary: The lands of Tamriel are about to change. A new age is approaching and an anceint foe of existence yet again has his chance to destroy god, man, and mer. Only nine can stand to oppose him in this secret struggle.
1. Ogres Exist

"Nothing down the hall," an Imperial voice said in the darkness of the ruined fort.

In response to the confirmation of no enemies in the area, a light as intense as if the group was outside in the daylight appeared in the palm of a Dunmer standing next to the speaker. The light spell revealed four figures.

The speaker was an Imperial, wearing leather armor and holding a steel bow with a quiver of silver arrows on his back. This was Isaiah Osis, the charismatic leader of the group. Osis was a skilled ranger, and having been born under the sign of the Shadow, a very stealthy one.

The caster of the spell of light was a Dunmer in a mage's robe holding a staff. Makenna was a mage born under that sign. Makenna was not skilled with any weapons, but his skills in all the colleges of magic more than made up for it.

Standing next to Makenna was his brother, Alderich. Alderich was wearing leather armor, wielding a silver longsword with his leather shield. He also had a steel bow and quiver of steel arrows on his back. Being a swordmage, Alderich was also a powerful wizard, skilled swordsman, and accurate marksman. Being born under the sign of the Atronach furthers his magical prowess, he can not only cast more spells, but absorb his enemies' as well.

The last figure was a Nord named Alfonso Furey. Furey held a large iron battle axe, which he was very adept at using, although he did not even need it to tear a goblin limb from limb. He wore heavy iron armor; looking at him, you would wonder how he was not completely immobilized due to the weight he was carrying. Furey was also semi-skilled in the use of restorative and destructive magics, which he used infrequently due to the mage and swordmage allies.

These are just a few members of the Wild Cards, a band of mercenaries who take any job for the right price.

"What do we know of this place?" Isaiah asked the group.

"Fort Chalman, currently inhabited by beasts," answered Makenna, "has not been occupied by men since-"

"We do not need the history of the place," Alfonso cut him off, "just what we came for and what we need to kill to get it."

"Shadowbanish Wine," interjected Alderich, "we are here for the Shadowbanish Wine at the bottom of the fort. The owner of that inn wants it."

"Well, let us go get those bottles," Isaiah said. "Good to go?" Silence. "Alright, move out. Makenna, give me some eyes."

The bright light in the Dark Elf's hand disappeared and was replaced by a bluegreen aura. Makenna touched Isaiah on the shoulder with his glowing hand and Osis' normal vision was replaced with night eye, allowing him to see perfectly in the otherwise utter darkness of the fort.

Osis then turned completely invisible while Alfonso picked up a nearby torch and lit it. The rest of the group saw dust coming up off the floor from Isaiah's footsteps as he walked down the hallway.

"Do you think he will wait for us this time?" Alderich asked his remaining two companions.

"If he runs into more than he can handle he will," Alfonso replied.

The three then set off down the hallway and followed the only available path. A few feet around the first corner lay a dead timber wolf. An arrow stuck out of the top of its head. Isaiah had apparently planted it while it was sniffing the ground unawares.

A little further the three found a pack of rats, three of them, alive surprisingly.

"Nice of him to leave us something," Alderich commented.

The two Dunmer and the Nord attacked simultaneously. A fireball, arrow, and swing of an axe later, the rats lay dead, burning, pierced, and cleaved in two respectively. They continued on.

As the three approached the last room of the fort, they heard a roar from within. This was shortly followed by Isaiah flying around the corner and slamming into the wall next to his comrades.

He stumbled to his feet and, noticing his friends, said, "Nice of you guys to join me. We have a problem, ogres, three of them."

"Not ogres!" Alderich exclaimed. "I hate that ogres even exist!"

"As do we all," Makenna added. "My spells will not have much effect on their thick skin," he continued.

"Alright," Isaiah started, finally getting his wind back, "Fons, Alderich, you each get one, Makenna, we will team up, we are not built for this solo."

Various agreements were heard.

"But before we go," Isaiah started, "could you help me out Makenna?" he asked revealing a large gash in his side.

He nodded and his hand suddenly glowed white. He touched the wound with his glowing hand and it magically healed itself.

"Well," Fons said, the bloodlust in the Nord's voice clearly noticeable, "if we are done in here, why are we not in there?" pointing his axe towards the door.

Alderich was already heading towards the room's entrance, followed by Makenna, then Fons, and finally Isaiah, still with a slight limp.

Alderich saw his target and charged it, shield up and sword back, ready to swing. Before his blade connected however, the ogre swung, knocking the shield aside and backhanding the elf in the face. Alderich fell to the ground and dropped his longsword. His foe ran over and attempted to stomp Alderich with his heel. Alderich, face bloody, barely had time to roll out of the way. He grabbed his blade and swung at the beast. The shot connected with the ogre's calf, hardly making a scratch.

The ogre raised its fist and made one more attempt to crush his mer opponent. Alderich raised his shield and dampened the blow. Although preventing his skull from being crushed, the impact of the attack forced the shield into Alderich's face. The ogre however, overbalanced and tripped, landing facedown. Alderich pulled a bottle containing a red liquid off of his belt and pulled the cork. He then poured the potion over his head. Not only did it wash the blood off his face, the potion healed all of the cuts and bruises it ran over, leaving him looking as if he had not been fighting at all (except for being sprawled on the floor).

The Dunmer quickly got to his feet and saw the ogre dazed on the stone floor. Alderich stood on the monster's hands and raised his sword above his head. He then made a downward thrust into the back of its neck. The hardened silver made a clinking noise as it struck the stone floor.

While his brother was fighting his opponent, Makenna saw his and a fireball appeared in his hand. The elf threw the flame and struck the ogre in the face, sending sparks into its eyes and blinding it briefly. The beast shook it off and, clearly angry with the mage, charged him awkwardly. The ogre grabbed the elf by the throat and held him against the wall. The monster brought back his right fist, and prepared to make the Dunmer's head part of the fort.

Isaiah saw what was unfolding and, not enthralled by the thought of his mage-friend being turned into gravy, drew back the string of his bow and released an arrow. The bolt hit the ogre in the back of the head, causing it to drop Makenna and grasp at the arrowshaft. The stupid beast then gunned for Isaiah.

Makenna, wanting to repay the favor, launched a quick combo spell. His right hand glowed blue and produced a shard of ice and his left burned red with a fireball. He threw the ice then fire consecutively, both striking the same place on the monster's side. The ice pierced the beast's skin and the fire melted it. The ogre stupidly grabbed at where the shard used to be only to find blood. It then looked around idiotically as if wondering if it dropped it.

This gave Isaiah and Makenna a chance to regroup.

"Want a light?" Makenna asked holding up a small fireball with his finger.

Isaiah nodded drawing back his bow.

Isaiah fired the shot and Makenna let loose the tiny ball of fire. The fireball hit the arrow, lighting it on fire but not changing its heading. The flaming arrow hit the ogre in the stomach, annoying it, no more.

As Osis and Makenna engaged in their little back and forth (not really hurting the ogre but irritating it severely), Furey took on his opponent. The Nord swung his axe and connected with the ogre's forearm. Even the weight of the axe combined with its momentum only made a gash about an inch deep in the beast's foot wide arm.

The ogre, deciding it was his turn, closed its fist and took a shot at Alfonso. The blow landed on the blade of the axe, knocking it out of the Nord's hands and across the room, only leaving a small cut on the beast's knuckles. Now unarmed, Alfonso took a couple shots back. Both of Furey's fists landed on the ogre's jaw in a one-two punch. The ogre, now dazed and confused that a man would fight in hand to hand combat, spat out all but a few of its teeth. The monster stumbled around, clearly having received a concussion from Alfonso's iron-clad fists.

Furey took the opportunity and picked up his axe. This time he swung the axe completely around in a wide arc. It connected with the ogre's neck and, unlike his previous shot, did not stop. The beast's head hit the ground five feet away from its body.

Alderich and Fons met up, their respective enemies dead. The two looked at the remaining ogre and its Imperial and Dunmer opponents then back at each other grinning.

"Think we should help them out?" Alderich asked Alfonso.

"Let us show them how it is done," Fons replied.

Alderich looked around the floor and saw a dagger. He picked it up and showed it to Fons. The Nord nodded.

Alderich aimed and threw the dagger while Furey ran at the ogre. The dagger penetrated the skin over the beast's heart and in a vicious combo, Fons slammed the blunt side of his axe into the blade's hilt, driving it the rest of the way. The final ogre fell over dead.


	2. Dealing More Cards

"We had it covered," Isaiah glared at Alfonso and Alderich.

"We also had it covered," Alderich said back.

"Can I have the ogres' teeth?" Makenna asked the group. "I have been needing some for a few potions."

"Let me ask you something Makenna," Isaiah started, "what would the three of us possibly do with a handful of ogre teeth?"

Alderich began chuckling. "Well Makenna," he said, "Fons shattered that one's jaw, should make the teeth easier to remove on that one. Speaking of which," he continued, "do you still have those repair hammers Fons? My shield is about to split in half."

Furey pulled several small hammers out of his pack, handed a few to Alderich, and kept a couple for himself.

"If you want to give me your bow I can fix that up for you too Isaiah," Alderich offered.

Osis happily handed over his bow while unstringing it. Clinking was heard as the Dunmer repaired his sword and shield and Isaiah's bow and Fons fixed up his axe. Makenna was occupied cutting the teeth out of the ogres' mouths with a small alchemical dagger.

When the other three were done with their tasks, Isaiah spoke up, "We got what we came for," he said holding up two bottles of Shadowbanish Wine with four more at his feet, "now we leave this hole." He deftly restrung his bow and the four started back towards the exit of the ruins.

"How many of those did the innkeeper want?" Alderich queried Makenna indicating the wine in his pack.

"Three," Makenna answered, "we get to keep half of them."

"We drink well tonight!" Alfonso shouted.

"Andlaen and I will go hunting as well," Isaiah added, "venison is also on the menu."

"If we can get Ra'Meth to get some sweetcakes this will be the best meal I have had in months," Alderich said, his mouth already watering.

"How do our funds stand Makenna?" Isaiah asked the mage.

"With the 5000 septims the innkeeper promised for the wine along with the 587 we found in the fort..." he calculated for a moment, "18692 septims."

"Done," Osis said to Alderich.

"A feast tonight!" Furey roared.

The group got to the exit door to the outside of the fort and stepped outside, shielding their eyes from the all too unexpected sunlight. Waiting outside was a Khajiit and a Bosmer, keeping watch for the others.

The Bosmer was Andlaen, and archer and Isaiah's hunting partner. Andlaen wore fur armor and held a steel bow with a quiver of steel arrow on his back. He also never spoke, none of the other Cards knew why, but he was always silent and no one bothered him about it.

The Khajiit was Ra'Meth, the group's runner. He wore normal clothing and had only a sheathed iron dagger at his side. Meth was unaccustomed to fighting but was naturally a fast runner due to being born under the sign of the Steed, making him useful for running errands, very quickly. One such errand was bringing three Shadowbanish Wines to the inn at Weye and returning from the Market District of the Imperial City with supplies.

"Hello boys!" Isaiah greeted the two Wild Cards as he exited the ruin. The reunited group exchanged greetings before Osis again took charge. "Ra'Meth," he said, "I need you to take these three bottles to the Wawnet Inn in Weye," he took three of the Shadowbanish Wines out of Alderich's pack and placed them in the Khajiit's. "Then go to the Market District, get some sweetcakes, we have a meal planned tonight. Alderich, we need repair hammers?"

"No," the elf replied, "I still have a few dozen back at the hideout."

"Alright," Isaiah nodded turning back to Ra'Meth. "Also, some weapons and armor, whatever we might need. Ask Makenna if he needs any ingredients, then you are good to go."

Hearing Osis, Makenna quickly scrawled down a short list of alchemical ingredients and handed it to Ra'Meth. "Thank you, Meth," the mage said to him in appreciation. "Oh, and if you can find any better equipment than the apprentice set I have, I will owe you one."

"Yes, goodbye friends," Ra'Meth said as he turned and began to sprint west along the Red Ring Road at an astounding speed.

"Quick cat," Osis commented. "Andlaen, we are going hunting. Fons, Alderich, Makenna, you are free for the remainder of the day, see you back at the hideout."

The group said their goodbyes and parted ways: Osis and Andlaen headed north into the woods and the elven brothers and Furey headed west along the road back to their hideout at the Ayleid ruin of Sercen.

As the three reached the ruin, they saw a Redguard fighting an Orc, both dressed in iron armor. The Redguard had a steel warhammer while the Orc wielded a steel battleaxe.

Before the three could get there to help, the Orc swung the axe in a wide arc and cleaved the Redguard in two at the waist. He saw them approaching and shook his head saying, "Bandits, they try this once a week."

"How goes it Thurod?" Alderich greeted the Orc.

The Orc was Thurod gro-Monk, also a Wild Card. He was a fighter, and a powerful one at that, being born under the sign of the Warrior had its advantages.

More greetings went around. Thurod then walked over to the upper half of the Redguard bandit and pried the warhammer from his dead hands. He threw it to Fons. "I do not need it," he said holding up his axe.

Alfonso swung the hammer over his head and crushed the bandit's skull. "I like it."

"Was that completely necessary?" Makenna questioned.

Fons grinned, "No."

Three headed through the door to Sercen, lair of the Wild Cards. Fons stayed outside as it was his turn to stand watch.

The elves and Thurod went down the steps deeper into the hideout.

The ruin of Sercen was a small Ayleid structure in comparison to others around Cyrodiil. It consisted of a short hallway leading to a very large room, more or less. The hallway broke into the south end of the room. Somewhat between the room and hall lay a smaller room with one exit into each. This smaller room housed several chests containing alchemical ingredients and a small table with scattered equipment and recipes. Makenna's alchemy lab.

About halfway down the larger room, one more smaller room broke off to the west. Inside was a furnace surrounded by an anvil and various tools used for repair in one corner. On the opposite wall an assortment of weapons and armor. This was Alderich's blacksmith and armory.

The south of the large room just outside the hall had a sparring mat laid down along with a few targets and dummies off to the side. The training and sparring area of the Cards.

In the center of the room was a large dining table surrounded by chairs. Storage containers for food, a large cooking pot, and a grill were nearby. Obviously the dining and cooking area.

Against the far north wall were six beds with chests at the foot of each for the occupants to keep their belongings. The sleeping area. To the right were several bookcases next to Makenna's bed, each shelf filled with different texts of varying age. One of these bookcases was dedicated to archiving the Wild Cards' history, Makenna being a record-keeper of sorts. The only member of the group that did not have a bed here was Alfonso who, being a Nord, preferred the cold and a bedroll outside.

All of this was illuminated by a soothing bluegreen, but still white, light emanating from stones on the tops of six foot tall stone pillars. Sercen held no torches and was constantly lit.

"Looks like that bandit got a shot in," Alderich commented pointing at a dent in Thurod's cuirass. "Want me to fix that up for you?"

The Orc agreed and handed the armor to Alderich then went to get clothes out of his chest to change out of his uncomfortable greaves and boots. Alderich made his way to the smithy and went to work while Makenna headed over to his library to read.


	3. Gifts

A few hours passed. During this time Alderich and Thurod sparred in the training area while Makenna sat in his lab mixing ingredients, looking up at a book of potion recipes at regular intervals.

Fons soon came running down the steps into the room. "Ra'Meth is back," he told the others.

Thurod and Alderich put up their weapons and Makenna resentfully put down his mortar and pestle. The three followed Alfonso outside.

Ra'Meth was walking down the path to the ruin. He was leading Alderich's black horse, which had a cart loaded with supplies in tow. Fons, Makenna, and Thurod helped Ra'Meth disconnect the cart from the horse's steel armor while Alderich found a feed bag and placed it on his muzzle.

The group then gathered around the cart and Ra'Meth handed them the things he had bought for them. He first found a set of chainmail: boots, greaves, cuirass, gauntlets, and a shield. He picked them up and gave them to Alderich.

"Thank you Meth," Alderich said to his Khajiit friend.

"You are welcome Alderich," Meth replied as he turned his attention back to the cart.

Next he found two suits of steel armor: helmets, cuirasses, gauntlets, greaves, and boots. He gave Fons and Thurod each a set. The two put their respective pieces of armor in their packs, which easily must have weighed at least 250 pounds each. The Khajiit then picked up a single silver battleaxe. The Orc and the Nord both looked at the axe. Alderich took the weapon and strapped it to his back. Both warriors shot him an angry look.

"We will decide which of you gets it after the rest of the supplies are given out," the Dunmer explained.

Ra'Meth was already holding the next weapon, a dwarven longsword. Alderich took it eagerly and strapped the sheath to his belt.

"These are for me," Meth said holding up a pair of new running shoes.

He then found a journeyman ambelic and retort and gave them to Makenna, followed by a somewhat large sack. Makenna took the equipment then the sack. He looked inside the latter and saw it was completely filled with ingredients.

"Thank you very much Meth," the elf said to his friend gratefully. "Give me a few hours and I will make you something."

Isaiah and Andlaen then arrived. Isaiah was leading his bay horse also with a cart in tow. This cart was weighed down with two bucks and a doe, enough meat for days.

The Cards stopped the horse next to Alderich's and disconnected the cart. Isaiah also got his mount a feed bag then headed over to the rest of the group.

"What do you have for us Meth?" the Imperial asked enthusiastically.

The Khajiit went to his cart and turned back to the Imperial and Bosmer holding a silver bow in each hand. The two grabbed them gratefully. Ra'Meth then took four quivers of arrows off the cart.

"500 dwarven arrows, 125 in each quiver. Good hunting," Ra'Meth said offering each of the archers two quivers.

The cart was now empty except for a small box, which Ra'Meth handed to Alderich. He looked inside and saw five sweetcakes, still smelling like the bakery.

"Dessert," the Dunmer stated simply.

"One more thing," Ra'Meth said, pulling a ring out of his pocket. "I found this one cheap at the Mystic Emporium."

Makenna took the ring and looked it over briefly. "I do not recognize some of these runes," he said. "Looks like some sort of fortification spell though. I will need to refer to my runic translation texts."

"While you do that," Alderich said, "we need to figure out who gets this," he continued holding up the new silver battleaxe.

"Time for a contest," Isaiah replied.


	4. The Contest

The seven went into Sercen and split into three groups: Makenna went on his own to his library in the back, Alfonso and Thurod followed Alderich to his armory to get equipped, and Isaiah, Andlaen, and Ra'Meth waited next to the sparring mat.

Alderich gave Thurod a blunted iron axe and Fons an iron warhammer. They both received full sets of iron armor. The three then headed over to the mat.

The Orc and Nord stood on opposite sides of the mat, wielding their non-lethal but still very heavy weapons. Isaiah stood in the middle.

"You both know the rules," Osis began, "first to knock down their opponent gets the new silver axe."

Both Thurod and Fons nodded.

"Begin!" Isaiah shouted while backing out of the fighting area.

Thurod immediately swung his axe, aiming at the Nord's ribs. Fons also took a shot, but did not aim at the Orc's body. Furey's hammer hit Thurod's axe on it's side, knocking it out of the way. The Orc staggered, but did not fall. Fons used the opportunity and thrust his hammer, striking Thurod in the stomach. Thurod stumbled backwards and planted the head of the axe into the ground and held the haft to prevent himself from falling.

Thurod regained his feet and brought his axe behind his head. He put all of the force he had available to him into the swing. The shot hooked Fons' ankle and made the Nordic warrior do a front flip which would have been the knockout swing. Fons though planted the head of his hammer into the ground and used it to continue his flip. Once he landed on his feet, the hammer was removed from the ground and Alfonso's momentum was transferred to it. The huge cube of iron launched up over his head and back down straight into Thurod's chest. The Orc flew backwards and landed a dozen feet from where he left the ground.

Alderich and Andlaen immediately ran over to help Thurod up. The two then removed his cuirass, which had been flattened against his chest by the hammer, preventing the expansion of his lungs and, therefore, breathing. Once Thurod caught his breath, he walked over to Fons and the two shook hands in a show of mutual respect.

"Congratulations," Isaiah said holding out the silver battleaxe.

Fons took it. "Good fight," Thurod said to Furey, "you deserve that."

Just then, Makenna walked up. "The Ring of Wizardry," he said. "How much did you buy this for Meth?" he queried the Khajiit.

"500 septims," he replied.

Makenna responded with a cackle. "You got it cheap," he said, "this ring is worth at least 5000."

"You going to tell us what it does?" Alderich asked his brother.

"Fortifies Destruction, Alteration, Conjuration, Mysticism, Illusion, Restoration, and Alchemy by a lot," Makenna listed with a grin. "You become much more skilled in all the schools of magic."

Isaiah shook his head. "That would be Makenna's," he commented.

The Dunmer mage conjured a large fireball in his hand and threw it against the far wall of the ruin. The spell burst into a large radius explosion on impact, just short of lighting the beds on fire.

"One more time and the hideout entrance gets enchanted with a drain magicka spell, "Isaiah said glaring at the younger elf.

Makenna took off the ring and put it in his pocket.

The seven - Isaiah, Andlaen, Alfonso, Alderich, Makenna, Thurod, and Ra'Meth - started setting up for the feast they had planned that night. Makenna, Alderich, and Meth set up the table, Makenna doing considerably less work than the other two, not because he was failing to do his job, but because he had the power of telekinesis. Isaiah and Andlaen collected fruits and vegetables from outside. Lastly, Fons and Thurod were busy hauling in the deer Isaiah and Andlaen killed, as well as a pig and cow they 'found' at a nearby farm.

When they were done, the table in the center of the room looked amazing. Silver utensils, plates, bowls, and cups littered the table arranged in seven settings. In the center were large plates piled with ham, beef, and venison. Around the table were several bowls filled with several varieties of fruit. Off to the side were the makings of sandwiches including bread, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.

Alderich lit the grill and the fire under the cooking pot by simply sending small fireballs at each. Makenna meanwhile used his powers of telekinesis to drop various kinds of meats on the grill and into the cooking pot, as well as a few vegetables in the pot for stew. Meanwhile, Ra'Meth placed the center piece (and main attraction ) on the table: three bottles of Shadowbanish Wine.

The seven gathered next to the table, each barely containing themselves. Alderich and Makenna both uttered sighs of awe. Isaiah stood with his arms crossed and a look of satisfaction on his face. Fons and Thurod stood on either side of their leader with the same expression. Ra'Meth looked on with a grin that bared his catlike teeth. A tear rolled down Andlaen's cheek.

Isaiah looked around at the rest of the Cards, seeing the expressions on their faces. "What are all of you waiting for? Dig in!"

The group bolted to the table, piled food on their plates and wine in their cups. All seven ate ravenously and drank thirstily. After an hour of constant eating, half of the food and wine remained. Andlaen lay on the floor passed-out drunk.

Isaiah stood, barely maintaining his feet. "We did well today," he said, his voice still steady and powerful, amazingly unaffected by the alcohol. He continued, "We had an incredible feast, got some new armor, and drank an elf under the table," he gestured at Andlaen flat on the stone and was received by light chuckles. "We also got new weapons, Makenna got a nice new ring, and Fons stomped on an Orc," again laughter was returned. "Ra'Meth has given me a sealed message from the Mages Guild. They want us to recover an artifact from Frostcrag Spire, a tower in the Jerall Mountains east of Bruma, about half a day's trip. The artifact was stolen from the Bruma guildhall by a powerful vampire sorcerer." Isaiah paused to let this sink in. "The worst is, he stole a powerful magical artifact, so he is undoubtedly expecting company and will probably use this artifact against us, whatever it is." The group remained silent. "A bit of good news is the Guild will be lending us several mages to assist us. Makenna, you are in charge of them." The Dunmer nodded. "Everyone get some sleep, we are going to need it for this one. Oh, and Makenna, one more thing. We may need your healing in the morning, we are all going to have massive headaches." A final, light round of laughter was heard.

The group then got up and headed towards their beds, some stumbling more than others. They all settled and fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows. Andlaen however, remained unconscious on the floor.


	5. The Mages Guild Calls

Alderich was the first one up in the morning. He went around the hideout, gathered up everyone's weapons and armor, and took them to his workshop to make improvements. The clashing of metal to metal gradually woke the others.

The next awake was Makenna, who went around the sleeping area and put a glowing white hand on the foreheads of his sleeping comrades, sparing them the worst of their hangovers. Makenna then walked over to his brother's furnace and took a pouch out of his pocket. He emptied some of the contents into his hand. The red powder issued a small amount of light and heat, he threw it into the furnace quickly to avoid burning his hand. The fire salts caused the flame to burst from a meek orange flame into a powerful white hot inferno.

"Thanks Makenna," Alderich said to his brother. The armaments Alderich was working were now much more easily molded after being in the furnace. The blades he worked on were now sharper, the axes and warhammers denser, the armor harder. This temporarily enchanted furnace helped this journeyman armorer turn out expert quality equipment.

Makenna though, was not in the mood for work. Play however, sounded very appealing. He reached into his pocket yet again and pulled out yet another small pouch. This was filled with a fine purple powder that made the Dunmer's hair stand on end when he held it in his hand. Makenna poured a small amount of the void salts into each of Thurod's shoes. He then went outside for a few moments and promptly returned, apparently having done the same to Alfonso's shoes. Alderich chuckled from his forge.

Soon after Makenna finished setting up his prank, the victims woke up. They met at a small table with a chair on either side. The Nord and Orc sat in the chairs and placed their elbows on the table. No sooner had the two slammed their palms together in an attempt to arm wrestle then the resulting explosion of static electricity sent them flying backwards to opposite sides of the room.

This resounding boom woke Isaiah and Ra'Meth, Andlaen however still lay sideways in a puddle of his own drool. As the Imperial and Khajiit regained consciousness, two angry warriors approached the younger Dunmer.

"Think of it as a consequence of predictability," Makenna said to the pair, who have been arm wrestling first thing in the morning for years. Fons pulled back his fist.

Isaiah quickly pieced together what had happened and grabbed Furey's fist, preventing him from sending the Dark Elf to Vaermina's nightmarish realm. "It is a good lesson," Isaiah said, and added, glaring at Makenna, "although I doubt the intent."

Makenna walked away, apparently not concerned for the turbulence he caused, and beckoned Ra'Meth to follow him. Makenna led the Khajiit to his alchemy lab. He opened a cabinet filled with shelf after shelf of potions and poisons and began scanning the labels. The alchemist found an orange potion he had worked on the night before labeled 'SPEED & DAMAGE HEALTH'. He took the five of them that were there off the shelves and gave them to the runner.

"These potions will fortify your running speed," the Dunmer explained. "They will taste like pears, but the other ingredient, wisp stalk caps, will burn your throat pretty badly. It will be overwhelming if you are hurt."

Ra'Meth, who had been nodding at every word Makenna said, took the potions eagerly. "Thank you friend," he said in his Khajiit hiss, "these will be handy."

Meanwhile, Alfonso decided Andlaen had had enough sleep. The huge Nord shook the Bosmer awake, then picked him up and stood him on his feet. "Time to wake up little Wood Elf," Fons rumbled to the confused Bosmer.

"Come on Andlaen, our turn for guard duty," Isaiah said, waving him towards the door.

Reality suddenly struck and the elf found his armor, bow, and arrows, then ran for the door after Isaiah.

While Isaiah and Andlaen stood guard outside (Isaiah probably filling in Andlaen about the upcoming mission), the others passed time. Fons and Thurod took turns practicing with Alderich; because the Dunmer was equally specialized in the combat, magic, and stealth classes, he made an excellent sparring partner. Over in the alchemy lab a few steps away, Makenna gave Meth novice level training in the art of mixing, the Khajiit showed an interest in, if not skill at, brewing potions.

During the hours that passed, Alderich learned quite a bit about using his sword and shield against powerful opponents armed with two-handed blunt weapons. Furey and gro-Monk likewise learned about using their heavy weapons against well-rounded enemies equipped with longswords and shields. Makenna however, made little progress training Ra'Meth. It was expected, as Meth only showed a passing interest, not any real promise.

The five Cards in the hideout heard a knock on the door. Isaiah or Andlaen would have just entered, so this must be someone else. Mercenaries have a habit of not trusting anyone but their own, so they took up defensive positions around the door, Meth approached to open it.

Ra'Meth swung it open. On the other side stood a Breton wearing chainmail armor and a blue mage's hood. Attached to his belt were a sheathed silver shortsword and a silver mace. "I am Mages Guild Battlemage Ryan Pryde," he said, "I have been sent to assist you Wild Cards."

"Greetings then," Ra'Meth replied. The Khajiit used his left hand to give the signal for the others in the base to come outside. His other hand was held up in the signal to hold fire to some of the standing ruins to the southeast. Pryde handed Ra'Meth a message sealed with a Mages Guild seal. Meth broke the seal and read the message while Makenna and Alderich checked the standing ruins of Sercen for any additional company.

Meth finished reading the message and gave the signal to approach to the southeast. Two arrows struck the ground at the Battlemage's feet, one on either side, inches from nailing him in place, slightly startling him. Isaiah and Andlaen dropped from the top of the ruins, a twenty foot fall, and crisply walked over.

"I apologize if we seem... untrusting," Isaiah said as he and Andlaen approached. "We are constantly being raided by bandits you see, we cannot afford to not be cautious."

"I agree that there are some risks that should not be taken," Pryde responded understandingly.

Ra'Meth handed the Guild's message to his leader, who quickly read it over. "So, you have some of our pay up-front?" Isaiah asked the Battlemage.

"7500 septims," he replied holding out a sack of gold. "That is a quarter of it. You will receive the rest from Jeanne Frasoric when you return Apotheosis to the Bruma Hall."

"Wait," Makenna interrupted, "the Apotheosis."

"Here we go," Alderich sighed.

"Yes," Pryde began to elaborate, "Apotheosis, the only mage's staff to be enchanted with three soul gems, one of each atronach: flame, frost, and storm."

"No staff more powerful," Makenna continued, "if this vampire is actually going to be using Apotheosis," he said addressing all present, "we have to be careful. One shot of that staff will kill you."

"Good to know," Thurod broke in.

"Well," Isaiah said commandingly, preventing the conversation from progressing any farther, "I would offer to give you a tour of Sercen, but we have a policy of not allowing those outside of the Cards entry."

"So I see," Ryan replied, his attention on the Redguard, cleaved in two and skull crushed.

"Since you seem to understand," Isaiah continued, "we will just press on to Bruma." Osis turned to face Ra'Meth and Andlaen, "You two are guarding the hideout while we are gone. We should be back in three to four days. Oh, and get rid of that," he said pointing to the mutilated bandit.


	6. There is Always a Catch

"Tell us about this vampire," Isaiah requested of Ryan in a demanding tone as the group turned north onto the Silver Road towards Bruma.

"His name is Hindaril, he is a powerful vampire elder, who has been in existence since somewhere near the middle of the Second Era," said Ryan in response. "Make no mistake by the way," he continued, "we are contracted solely to recover Apotheosis, not to destroy Hindaril. It would be foolish of us to believe we could destroy such a foe."

"Understood," Isaiah said simply, his tone did not betray him, but the look in his eyes said he was still going to try however. Alderich saw the look and frowned, but did not say a word.

"He must be the leader of a powerful clan, am I right Ryan?" Makenna asked the fellow scholar.

"Yes," he responded, "though its name is old as Hindaril himself and is lost. He will have a dozen or so powerful vampires protecting him." Ryan paused for so brief a moment it was unnoticeable to the others. "Along with Frostcrag's... defenses."

The five Cards stopped. "Defenses?" queried Isaiah.

"Well, not exactly 'defenses'," Pryde explained unsteadily, knowing the fine line he walked. "More like, assistances to defense. There are three altars inside Frostcrag Spire: an altar of enchanting, an altar of spellmaking, and the Atronach Altar."

Makenna was the first to the obvious question. "The first two are self explanatory. But what is an 'Atronach Altar'."

"An altar that allows the user to summon an Atronach familiar," Ryan stated simply to soften the blow.

"We are fighting vampires, Apotheosis, and Atronachs!?" Alderich exclaimed in disbelief.

"And... perhaps something worse," said Ryan.

"This just keeps getting better and better," Alfonso said in as sarcastic a tone as he could manage.

"What is it?" Thurod asked.

"Monarchs," Ryan answered. "If Hindaril has recovered the Armor of the Atronach, we may be fighting Monarchs."

"What is a Monarch?" Fons asked.

Ryan was not surprised someone was unaware of the existence of Monarchs, they were the rarest of Daedra and not easily encountered. Makenna however, beat him. "Elemental daedra tenfold more powerful than their Atronach brethren," he explained. "How could Hindaril possibly control such a powerful Daedra?" Makenna demanded.

"Using the Atronach Altar in conjunction with Apotheosis and the Armor of the Atronach allows one to summon and command Monarchs," Pryde recited as if he were reading it out of a book.

All that had needed to be explained had been. The Wild Cards and Ryan Pryde made the rest of the journey to the Bruma Mages Guildhall in silence.


	7. Ignorance is Bliss

The party of six arrived at the Bruma Guildhall and was immediately greeted by Jeanne Frasoric. The Guildmaster was a friendly sort, although not very intelligent. She had clearly gained her position as the leader of the Bruma mages through quite a few favors, not earning it.

"Welcome, welcome," she quickly hailed the Wild Cards. "I thank you for coming."

"The gold was motivation enough," Isaiah told her. He was blunt as he had no desire of becoming another friend for her to leech off of.

Being just intelligent enough the Cards were here for a job, period, Frasoric got to business but still wore her beaming smile. "Normally we would have called the Fighters Guild for reinforcements, but Arch-Mage Traven does not wish for us to take sides in the feud between them and the newly established Blackwood Company." She added quickly, "I completely agree with him." Disagreeing with the Arch-Mage would clearly result in a loss of favor. Ryan shook his head.

"What is the situation?" Pryde asked his superior who he obviously did not think of as such.

"Hindaril has the Armor of the Atronach," Frasoric said clearly not knowing what it meant.

"Who will we be working with?" Isaiah asked the oblivious Guildmaster before anyone else could say a word. Osis knew very well the complications this entailed, but was intent on keeping his composure.

"Well, you've already met Ryan," Frasoric started, still keenly ignorant of the situation. "This is Volanaro, Orintur, and Druja," she said pointing at two Altmer and an Argonian respectively.

The newly acquainted mages and Cards introduced themselves to one another, all while attempting to keep from Jeanne anything was out of the ordinary.

"I would like to arrange a war meeting," Isaiah said. Jeanne opened her mouth to speak. "I want only those to be involved with the battle to attend," Isaiah finished firmly before she could say a word. Frasoric closed her mouth and frowned for the first time.

"I'll ready my room for the meeting," Jeanne said after recovering her blissfully stupid grin.

Isaiah whispered something in Makenna's ear just loud enough for him and only him to hear it. Makenna nodded just enough for Isaiah to notice and placed a glowing purple hand on his shoulder.

Jeanne herded the Cards and mages into her room. Before she could follow them however, Isaiah slammed the door. "Silence the door," Isaiah told Makenna.

The Dunmer launched a green ball at the door. The room was now soundproof and Jeanne frustrated. Volanaro, Orintur, and Druja chuckled, but the Cards and Ryan remained solemn.

"May I?" Alderich asked addressing Isaiah.

Osis nodded.

"We are the Wild Cards," Alderich began. "This is our leader, Isaiah Osis, a ranger," hand open toward the Imperial. "I am Alderich, a swordmage. My brother Makenna, a mage. Thurod gro-Monk, a warrior. And Alfonso Furey, another warrior." Alderich shifted his hand to each in sequence. "Our... hostess... seems to be blissfully unaware of the situation. Because of this and the annoyance it would be if allowed in this room, Jeanne will be discluded from this meeting." All present nodded in agreement. "We know Ryan," he continued, "but, for the purposes of strategic planning, we will need to know your skills," indicating the two Altmer and Argonian, "and perhaps a demonstration of them."

"Well, ah, I'm a mage," spoke the Altmer named Orintur. "From Cheydinhall, specialize in Alteration." As he said this his hand began to glow blue. He tapped Jeanne Frasoric's desk drawer with the hand, which was tightly locked. Four tumblers were heard clicking into place and Orintur slid open the drawer.

"An expert no less," Makenna said counting the tumblers.

"I prefer shield spells, but there's no way for me to properly demonstrate here without risk of injury," Orintur finished.

Alderich nodded at the Argonian female.

"I am Druja from the Skingrad Guildhall," she said. "I am an expert in Destruction magic."

"Show me," Makenna told her.

The Argonian's hand glowed red and she held it above Makenna's shoulder. He nodded and Druja lowered her hand. "Cast the simplest light spell you have available to you," she requested.

Makenna held up his hand. He was clearly concentrating very hard on the spell, but could only manage a very dim glow. "I cannot manage it," he said finally lowering his hand. "That is a powerful drain Illusion spell," he complimented her.

Druja smiled an Argonian smile.

"My turn I guess," Volanaro said, "I and my friend J'Skar here are both illusionists from right here in Bruma."

The rest of the group looked at each other confusedly. Volanaro was referring to this J'Skar as being present, yet he was not visibly so.

As the rest were about to question Volanaro, a Khajiit suddenly appeared next to him. Thurod grabbed the cat by the throat and held him against the wall. Alderich drew his dwarven blade and pressed it to the Khajiit's chest above his heart.

"While I am impressed by your reaction times," Isaiah said calmly, "you are going to have to release J'Skar."

Alderich and Thurod looked at each other then back at the Khajiit. Thurod loosened his hold and Alderich sheathed his sword.

"You knew he was there?" Alderich asked his leader.

"Of course," the Imperial replied, "Makenna used a detect life spell on me."

"If he had had a malevolent agenda, Isaiah would have had an arrow between his eyes," Makenna added.

"I take it you wish to join us in the fight against Hindaril?" Osis questioned the uninvited but not unwelcome guest.

"That is correct," J'Skar replied.

"Given the circumstances, I will not refuse your help," Isaiah said in a serious tone but clearly happy to have his assistance. J'Skar nodded in appreciation.

"Now," said Ryan, "shall we get down to planning?" He paused to think about his wording of the upcoming sentences. "Hindaril has Apotheosis, the Armor of the Atronach, and control of the Atronach Altar, we know this." All in the room whispered agreements. "This will allow him to summon not only Atronachs, but their immensely powerful Monarch cousins as well. We... may not be able to defeat such monsters. The Arch-Mage has given us permission to destroy the staff, armor, and/or altar to banish them. It is unknown to the Guild the procedure to do this, but we do know it can only be done by one born under the sign of these Daedra. There is only one person here who fits that description," he said staring directly at Alderich and drawing the others' attention to him as well.

Makenna spoke first after a long pause. "Let me guess, it will have adverse effects."

"There lies the dilemma," the Breton replied, "we really do not know. It could have any kind of consequence, but we are unaware of what they may be. That is why we would like to avoid the destruction of the artifacts. If it has unforeseen... mortal... consequences, we do not wish to put your life in danger Alderich. The decision is yours."

"Well..." Isaiah said in deep thought, "in light of this, you are my second for this mission Alderich. You will command Makenna, Fons, Ryan, and Druja. They will help you during the mission, however you decide to go about it." Alderich nodded, seeming unaffected that the burden of this decision was made his. "I will command Thurod, Volanaro, Orintur, and J'Skar," he finished.

The five Wild Cards and equal number of Mages Guild mages then began the strategic planning of the assault of Frostcrag Spire.


	8. Fear and Philosophy

The ten left Bruma's east gate at 8 PM and began the two hour walk north to Dragon Claw Rock where they would camp for the night.

"How much battle experience do you four have?" Alderich asked the mages, who admittedly looked devoid of any real combat knowledge.

"Um... J'Skar and I have pulled a good many pranks on Jeanne..." Volanaro suggested uneasily.

"So then... none," Makenna spat out.

"Correct," J'Skar responded impressed with the Dunmer's blunt approach.

"What about you two?" Alderich addressed Druja and Orintur.

"Mostly casting fireballs and lightning bolts at bears and wolves," Druja said with a small amount of confidence. "I travel between the Skingrad Guildhall and the Arcane University frequently and run into beasts along the way."

"I traveled to Bruma from Cheydinhall through the woods and mountains," began Orintur. "My Fighters Guild companion and I encountered quite a few trolls and ogres."

"So," Isaiah spoke up, "we have an alterer and a destruction expert with very little combat experience, and two illusionists adept at fooling the incompetent."

"Sounds about right," Volanaro responded jokingly.

"If any of you die we are not responsible," Thurod said to the inexperienced mages.

The smile left Volanaro's face. The possibility that any of them might die had clearly not passed through his mind. Volanaro and J'Skar remained silent the rest of the walk. Makenna however spoke to Druja and Orintur about their philosophies about magic through its entirety.

"How is it you're an expert in all the schools of magic?" Orintur asked his fellow mage.

"Well," Makenna thought deeply about the question, "I just know that all the colleges are the same."

"How can you say that?" Druja uttered. "The schools are clearly separate."

"No," responded Makenna, "the schools are merely divided into vague categories for ease of use. What is Conjuration but using magic to destroy the barriers between here and Oblivion allowing travel between them?" he queried. "What is Illusion but using magic to alter one's perception of reality?" he aimed at Orintur.

"And necromancy?" Druja suggested, trying to find an exception to disprove Makenna.

"The reanimation and restoration of dead tissues," the Dunmer responded accordingly.

A look of indignation suddenly appeared on the Argonian's face. While she had requested that Makenna make the connection, she had clearly not expected, or wanted, to hear it. The thought of the so called 'Dark Art' being just another branch of magic along with others deemed less 'evil' obviously disgusted her. Druja, like Volanaro and J'Skar, did not speak throughout the rest of the trip. Orintur however, recognized that while Makenna thought of necromancy as just another , less pleasant, school of magic, he was no necromancer. The two continued their philosophical chat.


	9. Through Infernoes and Blizzards

The group arrived at Dragon Claw Rock a little after 10 PM and promptly set up camp. All ten sat around a fire and told stories of their greatest battles. Four of them did not participate.

"All right," Isaiah said standing, "we have a long day coming up. We leave camp at dawn tomorrow, should get to Frostcrag about two hours after that. The vampires will probably be asleep by then." He paused then continued, "Atronachs and Monarchs however, do not need to be. Get some sleep."

Everyone left the campfire and crawled into their bedrolls.

Alderich however was unable to sleep. After everyone else slipped into unconsciousness, he got out of his bedroll and sat next to the fire. Makenna woke up feeling his brother's restlessness through that slight telepathy siblings (especially those skilled in magic) have and sat next to him at the campfire.

"Anxious?" Makenna said questioningly.

Alderich returned a scowling look that said 'you know the answer and why'.

"You know nothing will happen with Thurod and me on the job," Makenna said to his brother in as kind of a voice as he could ever manage. "And I am sure Druja and Ryan do not plan on letting you get killed either."

Alderich remained silent. He was obviously thinking of all possible choices and their outcomes and consequences as he often did. Being the strategically calculating type, he preferred and was adept at viewing a situation from all angles and selecting the choice that would have the most positive - or least negative - effect.

"I am going to destroy Apotheosis," Alderich said finally.

Makenna did not speak. He knew his brother well enough to know that he had used all the logic, calculations, and plain common sense he had available to him to diagnose the situation, and he had an abundance of all three. Alderich would not be swayed. Not to mention the only person present who could match his stubbornness was Makenna.

Alderich looked up from the ground at his brother. His eyes shifted and he stood up, drawing his sword. Makenna turned around and, at the sight, also stood and readied his staff.

Alderich drew in a deep breath and yelled, "ATRONACHS!"

The huge, muscular, icy-blue and small, agile, fiery-red figures were only a dozen yards from the camp when Alderich woke his friends. As the Cards and mages stirred, Alderich and Makenna stood between them and the elemental daedra.

The Frost Atronach launched a large shard of ice and its fiery counterpart cast a fireball. Neither however, was aimed at the Dunmer. They were aimed at the cluster of bedrolls, whose owners were confused and defenseless.

The two brothers moved in front of the spells, each holding out an open palm, each for a different effect but the same purpose. As the supercold shard headed strait at Makenna, his hand emitted a blue light and a translucent blue wall came up directly in front of him. When the Atronach's attack hit the frost wall, it shattered and transformed back into its basic magical elements in the same instant. Alderich did not cast a spell, he simply stood there, palm raised. The fireball was less than an inch from his hand when it was changed from a devastating flame attack to pure magicka, which he promptly absorbed into his body, restoring his own reserves.

By the time this volley was finished, Isaiah was standing behind Makenna, two arrows nocked: one between his index and middle fingers, the other between his ring and middle finger. "Fire and ice Makenna!" the Imperial roared.

The mage wasted no time bringing up his hands and altering the temperatures of the air on either side of him. On his left between the Flame Atronach and Isaiah's left arrow, the air was supercold, on his right between Isaiah's other arrow and the icy daedra, it was superheated.

Isaiah let fly the two arrows. When the dwarven bolts turned white hot and white cold, respective to the temperature change. After the arrows passed, Makenna sent a wave of ultracold at the Flame Atronach and a wave of ultrahot at the Frost Atronach. Isaiah's arrows struck both daedra centered in the chest and Makenna's temperature extreme waves impacted over their whole bodies.

This elemental combo would have killed a mortal being, but, unfortunately, Atronachs were not restricted by those bonds. The arrow struck the Flame Atronach squarely in the chest followed by supercooled air. The daedra's flames faltered, but did not extinguish. The body heat of the Atronach then melted the arrow. Then the Frost Atronach was hit with the superheated bolt and blast of air, which melted a bit of the ice that made up its body. The cold that the Atronach radiated instantly froze its 'skin' again. The arrow was planted in its chest for just a second before it was cooled and shrank to the point of shattering.

The Atronachs then sent another volley of hot and cold in the direction of their foes. Orintur easily blocked the attack with a giant shield made of blue and red light.

Volanaro and J'Skar combine a spell and sent a yellow bolt at the Flame Atronach. The living flame just stood motionless for a moment then fell over paralyzed.

Alderich was meanwhile charging at the Frost Atronach ready to swing. Makenna created and maintained a beam between his hand and Alderich's blade. Alderich took a slash at the daedra and Makenna sent a pulse through the beam, heating the sword allowing an easier and more effective slice.

Not a second after Alderich's cut, the Atronach's right hand hit the ground and melted. Alderich slowed his swing and reversed it. The moment of contact with the Atronach's left shoulder, Makenna sent a second pulse of magical heat to the dwarven blade.

As the entire icy arm fell to the ground, the daedra it was attached to a moment ago swung a stub of a right arm at Alderich. Alderich, who had not had time to take up his shield, held his sword at a right angle to the arm. The Atronach did not slow its swing and its forearm was split in half down the middle as a result.

Alderich tilted his sword and hit the frost demon under the chin with its hilt. The Atronach fell to the ground on its back. Alderich jumped up and thrust his sword through the daedra's frozen forehead. This time Alderich himself sent a heat pulse into his sword along with the one supplied by Makenna. The Atronach's head shattered and exploded.

Alderich's battle had taken no more than twenty seconds, during which time Ryan and Druja stood charging a powerful frost spell between them. Makenna joined them and added his magic to the mix. The three mages' combine power created an area about a foot in diameter that had a temperature just a few degrees above absolute zero.

Isaiah nocked three arrows - one between each of his four fingers - and aimed through the cold zone at the Flame Atronach, which was beginning to pick itself up off the ground. Isaiah released his dwarven bolts through the ultra cold. The arrows did not make it the foot they needed before they froze and shattered in the same instant. The did not however lose any of their velocity. The result was a scattershot of frozen dwarven metal that landed mostly in the Atronach's chest and ripped a hole in it. The daedra fell back to the ground not two seconds after it stood up.

Thurod and Alfonso - who had taken the duration of the battle to put on their armor - ran up and looked at the two dead Atronachs confusedly.


	10. Presumed Dead

The group woke up the next morning at dawn, although looking up at the sky, they were not able to tell. The sky was covered in a black cloud, and, looking to the southeast, the swirling center of it hovered over Frostcrag Spire. Those who woke up would have gone back to sleep, thinking they had gotten up too early if not for seeing the rising sun under the cloud to the east.

"We still attacking now?" Alfonso asked Isaiah.

"This tainted cloud will not stop our attack," Isaiah addressed all assembled. "Between that," he said and pointed at the swirling black sky, "and the attack of those Atronachs last night, it is clear Hindaril knows we are coming. Those Atronachs were weak and clearly meant to kill us in our sleep, so he has underestimated us."

"We may be able to use that failed attack to our advantage," Alderich interrupted.

"How so?" his leader asked him.

"Well, although they failed terribly, those Atronachs were meant to kill us, as you said," Alderich started.

"And that would be an advantage to us how?" Thurod questioned.

"The element of surprise idiot," Makenna broke in, "let him finish."

"Well," Alderich continued, "first of all, Hindaril may believe us dead. Second, we might be able to send our own Atronachs to the tower to under the cover of his successful servants. I am sure if we summon them and tell them the situation, they will have no problem raising a little havoc."

"Sounds like a plan," Isaiah said to Alderich's scheme, "head up."

The ten then headed east from Dragon Claw Rock. On the way Makenna summoned a Flame Atronach and Alderich a Frost Atronach. Then they explained what they were to do. The daedra were enthralled at the opportunity to rip their opponents apart from the inside out.

"The vampires will allow us to simply walk in?" the Frost Atronach asked in a deep voice that echoed as it came out of its mouth.

"They should, yes," Alderich answered his daedra.

"But there is a possibility they will not?" the Flame Atronach asked its master in a light but also echoing voice.

"There is that possibility, yes," Makenna responded.

"Report the Wild Cards and their allies as dead if need be," Alderich told the Atronachs.

"I so love deception," spoke the Flame Atronach.

"We will wait here," Alderich continued, "as soon as you two engage in combat we will head over."

"Let us enjoy this," the Frost Atronach said to his fellow daedra.

"Yes," the Flame Atronach returned.


	11. Deception

As the two Atronachs walked off, J'Skar and Volanaro cast spells of charm on them, an enchantment that would undoubtedly come in handy. Druja looked at them in disgust, she felt trafficking with daedra was almost as bad as necromancy.

"Good luck Xander, Daria," Alderich said to the Atronachs as they left.

The Cards got into a position where they could see the entrance to the tower. The way up to the entrance was divided into three tiers, a narrow stairway leading from each up to the next. On the first landing were three vampires, one had a steel claymore and the other two steel war axes, all three wore steel armor. On the next were two vampires, both armed with staffs wearing robes. On the last tier stood a vampire in leather armor with a steel bow, the other vampire however wore a suit of elven armor with a glass bow.

"When we kill him," Isaiah said pointing at the last, "his bow is mine."

"I get the armor," Alderich said.

Everyone heard and registered what Isaiah and Alderich had said, but none of their attention left the two Atronachs and the claymore-wielding vampire approaching them. Xander and Daria - the Frost and Flame Atronachs respectively - spoke to the vampire, who after a moment pointed to the elven-clad vampire on the top tier.

The vampire with the glass bow - probably the commander - talked to the daedra for a while then opened the main entrance door. A wolf standing like a man bolted out of the tower. The werewolf sniffed at Xander and Daria then let out a long howl, the battle began.


	12. Blood and Ashes

Isaiah fired a dwarven bolt and hit the claymore-carrying vampire directly in the left eye. His body hit the ground before the dropped blade.

Volanaro and J'Skar cast a wide-range chameleon spell on Alderich, Makenna, Alfonso, Ryan, and Druja, who Alderich had led strait into the heart of the battle. The spell did not make them completely invisible to the vampires, but it did mask their number and general movements.

Five balls of fire appeared evenly spaced between the magically camouflaged troops. The flames converged and launched at one of the vampires brandishing a war axe. The spell exploded on the undead's shoulder and sent him flying through the air, ashes hit the ground.

The other undead warrior made a vertical slash at one of the blurs attacking him and his allies. The blow did not hit its mark. It instead sliced through the air between Ryan and Fons. The Nord promptly responded by swinging his hammer horizontally level with the vampire's head, sending it down the mountainside.

Meanwhile, on the top landing outside the entrance to Frostcrag, Xander and Daria battled the two vampire archers and the werewolf. Alderich's Frost Atronach pulled his fist and released it into the wolf's snout. The beast reared and scratched at Xander, scraping some of the ice off his arm. Daria leveled a roundhouse kick at the vampire with the steel bow, causing his chest to explode.

The werewolf then raked Makenna's daedra across the stomach and she fell to the ground badly wounded. The remaining vampire archer pulled back his bow and released a bright orange arrow at Xander. On impact the enchanted arrow exploded, and the Atronach with it.

Makenna used a telekinesis spell to pull his Atronach away from the fight.

"Well," Daria said coughing, "it is time for me to head back to Oblivion. Xander and I enjoyed the fight. Good luck Cards." The daedra's form on Nirn was destroyed and the immortal was sent back to the waters of Oblivion.

Makenna pulled his staff off his back and fired a lightning bolt at the werewolf. It struck the monster in the side of the head and hurled it against the tower's wall. It lay motionless. Makenna was clearly in ill humor due to the exile of his Atronach.

The two vampire mages fired black bolts out of each of their staffs at Thurod. The Orc dodged to the side to avoid one, but the other hit him in the knee. Thurod, wounded and at a distance, threw his axe at the mage whose bolt struck. The axe spun through the air at the vampire. The blade of the axe entered through the top of the vampire's head and exited at the groin, splitting him in two down the middle.

The other undead mage backed up against the wall behind him where Alfonso stood. The huge Nord warrior swung his hammer and crushed the vampire's head against the stone.

The final vampire - the archer with the glass bow - nocked an arrow. Before he could release it, Isaiah fired his own. The dwarven arrow severed the glass bow's string, and its enchanted bolt fell to the ground.

A green orb came from Volanaro and J'Skar and struck the vampire. He fell to the ground paralyzed. Alfonso and Thurod moved slowly and stood over the immobilized vampire and motionless werewolf.

"My master... has... plans for you..." the archer managed to say to Alfonso.

Before the comment could be questioned, a beam of swirling fire, ice, and electricity came out of the tower door and struck Thurod in the chest above the heart. The Orc was flung down the steps all the way to the bottom of the tower.

As Fons was distracted, the vampire broke his magical bonds and the werewolf regained consciousness. The vampire bit the Nord in the neck at the same instant the werewolf wrapped its fangs around his forearm. Using only the strength supplied by the adrenaline of surprise, Fons swung his hammer, decapitating both in one stroke with blunt force. He then also fell to the ground.

While the others checked the fallen, Alderich ran through the door into Frostcrag. It closed behind him.


	13. Trial Through Fire, Ice, and Lightning

Alderich walked into Frostcrag, shield and sword clutched tightly. He entered a circular room that appeared to have no exits other than the one he had used. He turned around and looked at the entrance.

Alderich thought only of preventing Hindaril from bringing down any more of his allies. He failed to notice the gigantic wall behind him slide out of the way to reveal a yet larger room.

The Dunmer turned around to see a figure dominating the huge doorway. The creature seemed to be made of iron kept held in shape by intense electrical energy. A Storm Monarch. Alderich looked the giant daedra in the face. It returned the gaze then stepped to the side.

The Dark Elf advanced into the larger room uneasily. A single vampire stood in the center of the room holding a very intricately crafted staff and wearing what looked like its matching armor. "You must be the older Dunmer," the vampire addressed Alderich, "my servant would have killed your younger brother."

"As if it would have mattered to you!" Alderich yelled back.

"Actually it would have," Hindaril responded, "my master has plans for him, as well as you."

"Who is your master, what does he want?" Alderich asked.

"You will know in time," Hindaril replied, effectively ending that branch of the conversation.

"So you are not going to kill me?" Alderich asked the sorcerer with a very slight mocking tone.

"What you're going to do may, but I will not," he responded.

"What about Thurod and Alfonso?" Alderich questioned. "Why were they killed?"

"The Orc would only get in the way, but the Nord will live," the vampire said simply.

Alderich raised his sword. "I am going to destroy you."

Hindaril brought up Apotheosis in a block. "You're going to try."

Alderich summoned a bound longsword and full bound armor. He lunged and stabbed the sword through the wooden staff and past the Armor of the Atronach into Hindaril's heart. The Dunmer sent a pulse of heat, cold, and electricity through the blade. The vampire was smiling.

The Armor of the Atronach exploded, fragmenting in all directions. Alderich was pierced by shards of it all over his body along with receiving a powerful all elemental shock from Apotheosis.

As the severely wounded Hindaril fled down the mountain, Alderich lay near death, blood infused with the elements.


	14. Servant Presents Master

Makenna, with a spell of detect life, looked up and down the tower for survivors.

"Alfonso is alive!" he shouted seeing the faint life force near the entrance doors.

"And Thurod?" Isaiah questioned the Dark Elf.

Makenna looked down the steps and did not see the barest glimpse of life. He gave his leader a grim look.

"Bring them down to the camp," Isaiah ordered the Mages Guild members.

"We are not your laborers mercenary," Druja said in refusal.

"Do it..." Isaiah said pulling back an arrow and aiming at the Argonian's forehead, "or I lose another ally."

They all got the hint. J'Skar and Volanaro picked up Thurod while Druja and Orintur picked up Alfonso and carried them down the mountain.

"I am truly sorry," Ryan said to the two remaining Cards. "Where's Alderich?"

"Inside," Makenna said. "He is alive from what I can see, but the door will not open. There is something... else... with him."

"What is it?" Ryan queried.

Makenna put glowing purple hands on the shoulders of the other two, giving them detect life. They now saw what he saw.

"Is that...?" Isaiah begged either of the others to finish.

Before they could however, the massive door swung open. In the entryway stood a Storm Monarch. The daedra held a pearlescent violet object in its huge hand. On closer observation, the three saw it was the armor-clad figure of Alderich. Ryan and Isaiah wondered why Alderich was not a smoking husk due to the intense energy of the Monarch. Makenna however saw immediately why he was not.

"That armor is absorbing every volt of electricity..." Makenna muttered.

"How?" Ryan asked as the Monarch laid Makenna on the stone.

"It appears to be conjured armor, a bound Storm Atronach. But this daedra seems to be summoned from Oblivion bound as armor in its entirety, impossible under normal circumstances." As Makenna finished, the armor did not disappear and get sent back to Oblivion, but instead seemed to retreat into Alderich's body.

"These are hardly normal circumstances," the Storm Monarch rumbled.

"What was that?" Makenna asked the huge daedra.

"That was Alderich," the Monarch replied.

"I do not understand," Ryan said.

"The Armor of the Atronach and Apotheosis were not made with purely soul gems," the daedra explained. "They were also laced with the blood of Atronachs. When the armor exploded, Alderich was pierced with its shards. Atronach blood runs through his veins."

"He is an Atronach!?" Ryan asked astounded.

"He is still mortal, but yes, he has the powers of an Atronach," the Monarch replied.


	15. Excuses are Like Assholes

Alfonso and Alderich lay in beds next to each other recovering the rest of that day and through the night at Bruma's Mage's Guildhall. Thurod's body lay in a cart attached to Isaiah's horse.

The next day, Raminus Polus, the second-in-command of the Mage's Guild, came to Bruma to personally deliver the Cards' reward.

"You may have saved Bruma from complete destruction," Raminus told Isaiah, "this reward is well earned."

"We have paid for it dearly," Isaiah replied.

"I know, and I'm sorry," Polus said back. "I did notice though that your Nordic friend has both vampire and werewolf bites."

"Yes," Isaiah responded.

"Most die instantly if bitten by both immortals," Raminus commented. "I don't dare treat him, I have no idea the implications of this."

"That seems to happen pretty frequently around here," Isaiah said glancing at his two warriors.

"Thank you, and again, I'm sorry." Polus took his leave, placing a sack of 22,500 septims in Osis' possession.


	16. Powers and Curses

Alderich and Alfonso both woke up the next morning around the same time, both entirely too weak to move, but powerful.

"Where am I?" Alfonso asked anyone in earshot.

"Bruma's Mages Guild," Isaiah replied from the darkness.

"Why can I not see?" Fons asked panicked. "Am I blind?"

"No idiot," Makenna said conjuring a fireball in his hand to light the room, "there are just no candles lit."

"Well, since I am on a roll with stupid questions anyway," Fons addressed Isaiah, "why can I not move?"

"Because," Osis said while lighting candles around the room, "you should both be dead."

"Well," Alderich said, "us beating the odds again. Anyone want to help me stand?"

"You should both stay put," Ryan said from the corner of the room.

"Fine," Alderich said, annoyed at the Breton, "I will arrange my own help. Xander, a little assistance?"

Alderich held up a hand and the temperature in the room dropped. A vortex of ice appeared on the floor next to Alderich's bed. The others watched as water separated from air, freezing as it did so. Feet and legs formed, a torso, arms and hands, all covered in icy spikes. Finally, a head. The Frost Monarch offered Alderich his hand. "Of course master."

"So you are already aware of your abilities?" Ryan questioned Alderich as he was supported by the Monarch Xander.

"Obviously," the elf replied, his irritation with the battlemage doing anything but subsiding. "Is Alfonso aware of his?"

Pryde stepped forward, "No, and you are not going to tell him."

Alderich turned to Fons, "How would you like to stand?"

"What? He going to help me?" Fons asked nodding at Xander.

Alderich shook his head. "Regardless of the fact he would freeze you solid on contact, no. You are going to help yourself."

"Alderich, stop!" Ryan shouted. "We do not know if he can control himself!"

Alderich raised his arm. The temperature rose. A vortex of flame appeared on the floor. A female figure sprouted from the swirling fire, a female figure covered in white hot flames. Daria stood to Alderich's left with arms crossed while Xander supported him from his right.

"We have it covered," Alderich said simply.

Ryan looked to Isaiah and Makenna who both nodded. Pryde submitted.

Alderich turned to Furey, "Let me ask you something Fons. Do you remember what the last thing that happened before you blacked out was?"

Alfonso thought about it. "I was... bitten by a vampire and a werewolf... But would that mean...?"

"Yes," Alderich answered, "it would."

Fons began roaring. Black fur sprouted all over his body and his muscles expanded. As he stood, his teeth turned into fangs. His snout did not lengthen as it would in a werewolf, but his canines continued to grow like a vampire's. Alfonso, now in the form of a vampiric werewolf, stood silently and looked himself over. To everyone's relief, he did not attack.

Alderich looked at his Monarchs, "Thank you very much you two, you are dismissed."

"Anytime Alderich," said Daria.

"And thank you for your assistance in our ascension," Xander said appreciatively.

"Not a problem," Alderich replied.

Just before the two Monarchs left, Jeanne Frasoric opened the door and looked in. "I hope everyone is feeling-" as she noticed Alderich's companions and Alfonso's... state, she backed away and slammed the door.

Xander and Daria disappeared to Oblivion in respective explosions of hot and cold laughing. Fons regressed back to his natural form, also laughing. "Now we know how to get rid of her," he said.

"I am impressed," Makenna said, "it appeared as if you had full consciousness."

"I do not know exactly what you just said," Fons returned, "but yeah, I knew what I was doing."

"Alright," Alderich said, irritation returning, "and my Monarchs are nothing."

"No one said that," Isaiah told him in response, "we are all just glad we did not get torn to ribbons."

"Now that you are both up and about," Makenna started, "how about we get to the hideout?"

"Sounds good," Alfonso said. Then he looked around the room. "Where's Thurod?"


	17. Learn How to Count!

Alderich sat atop his black horse and Alfonso atop Isaiah's bay as the group traveled back to Sercen. Isaiah, Makenna, and Ryan, who had decided to accompany the Jaguars, walked alongside. All were silent.

Ryan opened this mouth to speak. He closed it and said nothing.

"How do we tell Andlaen and Meth?" questioned Fons.

"I would honestly rather not think about it..." Alderich said.

"We have to eventually," Isaiah managed.

Everyone regained silence.

As the group approached the point where the Silver Road met the Red Ring Road, the sky suddenly turned black. Makenna was about to question it when a figure cloaked in black stepped out from the trees and stood before the group. Even though its head was cloaked and his face covered in darkness, they could all tell it was smiling, a twisted smile.

"I am very glad to finally meet you," it said in a voice that sent a chill down their spines with each word. "But you are missing some..."

Isaiah stepped forward. "Thurod gro-Monk is dead, Andlaen and Ra'Meth are not here. What do you want with us?"

"Nothing right now Isaiah Osis," the dark being replied, "but those are not the ones I meant. Isaiah Osis, Alfonso Furey, Alderich, Ryan Pryde, Sumika, Eyana, Jamie Weaver, Christopher Showers, Hanele," the creature listed, "you are missing four."

"What do you want with Sumika and Eyana!?" Alderich yelled at the cloaked figure despite himself.

"I do not need them for anything," it replied coldly and calmly, "my master does. The only one I have an interest in is you." No one could see the things eyes, but all felt they were on Makenna.

"What do you want with me?" Makenna asked it.

"You will know soon enough," it replied in just as menacing a tone as ever. "Goodbye for now, I will see you all again."

The figure walked back into the trees. Alderich and Makenna were about to give chase, but Ryan stopped them.

"Let us go after it!" Alderich yelled from his horse.

"No, I cannot allow that," Pryde responded, "you do not want to follow it."

"Why not!?" Makenna asked, also yelling.

"That was a shade," Ryan said. Alderich and Makenna stopped struggling against him. "A dark servant of Sithis."

"We are going to the Imperial City to see Sumika and Eyana," Alderich said. "It said their names, we are going to make sure they are alright."

"If I were you," Ryan began, "I would be concerned with whose names it did not say."

"You two check on your girls," Isaiah said to the Dunmer, "Fons, you and I are going back to the hideout, we need to get there before that shade. Ryan, you need to speak to the Arch-Mage, do you not?"

"Yes," the battlemage replied, "that would be best."

"Makenna," Alderich addressed his brother, "get on."

Makenna got on the back of the black steed and the horse galloped full speed west along the Red Ring Road.

Ryan Pryde cast a spell of water walking on himself and started across Lake Rumare. He turned to Osis and Furey. "I do hope I am wrong. And either that shade failed in its math, or there is something deeper at play here." He continued.

Isaiah's horse bolted east.


	18. Short Reprieve

Alderich and Makenna ran to a house in the Elven Gardens District of the Imperial City. Alderich pounded the door frantically. There was no answer. Alderich kept beating the door.

"Hey guys," said a female voice behind them, "what a pleasant surprise."

The two turned around to see a Dunmer woman with fiery red hair. Alderich saw her and hugged her, hard.

"Alderich!" she gasped. "Is something wrong?" she asked after he loosened his grip.

"Sumika?" Makenna asked, attempting to stay calm but failing. "Where is Eyana?"

"In the Market District shopping," she answered, her worried expression growing. "What is going on?"

"We will explain later," Alderich responded, "we are taking you two to Sercen."

"Alderich," Makenna said to his brother, "get the horse ready and see if you can borrow another one."

Alderich nodded and guided Sumika to the stables.

Makenna headed to the Market District to look for Eyana. As he entered the district, he saw a Dunmer woman with short purple hair walk out of the Feed Bag. He ran over to her, grabbed her by the wrist and they both started running towards the city gate.

"Makenna?" she asked. "Why are we running?"

"I am taking you to Sercen," he replied.

"Where is Sumika?" she asked him.

"Alderich has her at the stables," he answered promptly.

For the rest of the run Eyana remained silent.


	19. It is Always Calmest Before the Storm

Isaiah and Alfonso arrived at Sercen to find no trace of combat. The ruin was peaceful, but something was definitely wrong. Isaiah and Fons looked around the standing ruins, but could not find the Bosmer or Khajiit anywhere.

The Imperial and Nord entered Sercen with weapons ready. They walked down the steps into the main room, which was also completely silent. Their steps echoed on the stone floor.

"Maybe they went to the Roxey..." Fons suggested.

Isaiah however saw something in the sleeping area. On each Andlaen and Ra'Meth's beds were boxes, about three feet wide, seven feet long, and two feet tall. The two walked over, knowing and dreading what the boxes were and what they contained.

The two Cards stood above the coffins inside of which were the bodies of their comrades. There were no cuts, no bruises, blood, signs of trauma, they were just dead. Simple.

Isaiah and Alfonso carried the coffins outside, made one for Thurod, and dug three six foot deep holes.

The Dunmer brothers and the Dunmer sisters arrived soon after. When Sumika and Eyana saw the bodies, they began sobbing uncontrollably on Alderich and Makenna's respective shoulders. Alderich and Makenna, who had been expecting this, remained silent while comforting them.

Ryan arrived after the three Wild Cards had been buried. Seeing the fresh graves, he knocked on the door to the ruin. Makenna answered.

"What do you want?" he asked from inside. "It is your fault this happened."

Isaiah called from inside the ruin, "Let him in Makenna."

Makenna, hearing his leader, reluctantly opened the door wider to allow the Breton passage.

Ryan followed Makenna to the dining area where Isaiah, Fons, Alderich, Sumika, and Eyana sat.

"You quit the Mages Guild?" Isaiah asked Pryde as he approached.

Ryan nodded. "At the Arch-Mage's suggestion, I resigned my post. I would like to join you."

Isaiah let out a sigh. "Very well," he said, "it is unavoidable."

Alderich stood up slamming his fists on the table. "No!" he protested. "He is the reason this all happened."

"Sit down Alderich," Isaiah said unshakingly. "He is not the reason for this and neither is the Mages Guild. It would have found us eventually. Besides, have you not heard the saying 'do not shoot the messenger'?" Isaiah turned to Sumika and Eyana, "I would like you two to join as well if you are willing."

"No," Alderich said shaking his head, "Sumika will not be put in harm's way."

"And neither will Eyana," Makenna added.

"That is hardly your choice," Sumika said to the brothers.

"But you will have to tell us what is going on," Eyana demanded of Isaiah.

"No," Alderich started, "you two will not fight."

"No?" Sumika asked in an amused tone. "You two have been fighting for us for half a century. Thurod, Andlaen, and Meth were our friends too, we will help avenge them."

"Given fifty years is not long in terms of a Dark Elf's live," Eyana said, "it is too long for us to stand idly by while you two risk your lives."

"Should I tell you what I have discovered?" Ryan asked the group, obviously pleased with the turn of events.

Isaiah nodded.

"The creature we encountered on the Silver Road was indeed a shade, one of the more powerful servants of Sithis," Pryde began. "The thing said most of our names along with three others: Jamie Weaver, Christopher Showers, and Hanele. Do any of these names mean anything to any of you?"

All shook their heads and scattered 'no's were heard.

"What do you mean 'most of our names'?" Sumika questioned.

Alderich answered, "Makenna's name was not on the list."

Before the sisters could say anything, Isaiah finished what Alderich was saying. "The shade did say it needed Makenna though, I would not worry about it."

Ryan continued, "The shade also said four of us were missing when five of the names were not present. I do not know what this means, but I do not care to speculate now. Regardless, the Arch-Mage and I believe we will meet the rest somewhere along our journey."

"And what exactly is our journey?" Makenna asked.

"We are unsure of that, but we do know it has something to do with the Lord of the Void, Sithis," Ryan responded. "We also believe we will all receive some kind of... power, like Alfonso's or Alderich's."

"Alderich's power?" Sumika questioned.

"He... ah..." Makenna vainly attempted to explain.

"I will... just demonstrate," Alderich stopped him.

Alderich stood up and stepped away from the table. He began to concentrate, although the others were unclear on what. He burst into flames. Sumika and Eyana screamed, but stopped when the fire began to form a kind of armor around him. This suit of armor, which understandably looked like solidified flames, would absorb any and all kinds of fire based attacks.

"Alderich?" Sumika said questioningly, standing up and reaching out to touch him.

"No," he said and stepped back further. The flames disappeared as he stood there.

"Alderich?" Sumika repeated. She poked him in the shoulder. Discovering he was no longer hot, she hugged him.

"Well," Ryan said finally, "beyond this, we have no idea what we are needed for."

"So there is nothing we can do?" Makenna asked.

"At the moment? No," Pryde responded.

Isaiah spoke, "Well then, we wait. Until something happens to advance the plot, it is business as usual."


	20. Friendship Never Dies

Thurod, Andlaen, and Meth's beds were all taken outside and burned. Obviously, with the Cards' newly inflated ranks, this posed a bunking problem. Sumika and Eyana had no problems finding places to sleep in Alderich's and Makenna's beds. Ryan was provided a bedroll and slept on the floor.

As the seven all slept, the ground shook so slightly none of them were phased and remained sleeping peacefully. Even if they had been awake however, the tremor was so minor, they still may not have noticed it. The reason for it though was much more terrible than the actual quake.

Alfonso woke first and, before he went in, could have sworn he felt movement underground. The Nord waved it off as his imagination.

Alderich woke up next and, in his scramble to get out of bed, woke Sumika. He headed to his armory and she followed.

Alderich sighed. "What kind of weapons do you want to use?" he asked her, clearly not happy he had to ask the question.

Sumika, without even thinking, answered, "I will need a katana, Eyana uses a bow."

Alderich, both surprised and disappointed by the immediate response asked, "You know how to use them?"

"Yes Alderich," she replied, annoyed at him for thinking they were ignorant in the ways of combat.

"Show me," he said handing her a blunted Akaviri blade while he took up his shield and a blunt longsword.

"You are still wounded," she said worried.

"Then you should be able to beat me without much trouble," he taunted her.

Sumika and Alderich went to the sparring mat and stood on opposite sides. Both stood, weapons ready, waiting for the other to move first. Each realized at the same moment that the other would not act until they did. They both attacked.

The resounding clash of metal to metal startled the rest out of sleep, except of course for Alfonso, who stood in the entryway watching. The other Cards made their way to viewing positions as the two battled. Alderich's defensive style and Sumika's evasive movements were perfectly matched, neither could gain any ground.

As Sumika did cartwheels and flips to avoid Alderich's strikes, turning them fluidly into her own attacks, he used sword and shield to block and parry. Alderich's attacks met with nothing but air, Sumika's connected with a light iron shield. Neither could land a blow and neither would permit the other's blade. The entire fight was an active stalemate.

The two, now tired from combat, stood again on opposite sides of the mat, glaring at each other, adrenaline flowing. The others, who had been watching the battle rage, just stood there in amazement. None of them had thought that anyone, least of all his own girlfriend, could match Alderich with a blade.

Alderich swung his sword horizontally at Sumika. She easily ducked under it and while doing so delivered a low sweeping kick. Alderich fell to the ground on his back and immediately found Sumika's katana at his neck. He had been bested.

They both threw aside their weapons. Alderich wrapped his arms around her and she lowered herself down to him.

The rest of the group began clapping. Suddenly realizing that everyone was watching them, they both bolted up. Noticeably embarrassed, the couple bowed in unison.

All the Cards began to go about their duties except for Ryan, Sumika, and Eyana, who did not know what to do. Sumika yet again followed Alderich to his forge, as did Makenna and Eyana. "Where did you learn how to fight like that?" Makenna asked Sumika.

"We are self-trained," she answered, "I with katanas and Eyana with bows."

"We prefer stealth and ease of movement," Eyana added.

"I think I could brew up something you two would like," Makenna said, making the sisters curious and Alderich worried.

Makenna took his leave. First he went to his library and took a few books down. He then retired to his alchemy lab.

"Look," Sumika started, "I am sorry Alderich."

Alderich shook his head. "I do not care that you beat me."

"Honestly I do not care if you care I beat you," she said with a laugh. Then she got a serious expression on her face. "I meant about Andlaen, Meth, Thurod, our joining the Wild Cards..."

Alderich started to reply, "I am just worried about-"

He stopped when he heard Eyana scream from the dining area. It did not take anyone long to figure out why. She was staring at three figures near the entrance: an Orc, a Khajiit, and a Bosmer, all covered in dirt.

It was intensely obvious to everyone present that Thurod gro-Monk, Andlaen, and Ra'Meth should not be standing in front of them. Added to that, by their stances, they were hostile.

Alderich immediately gave Sumika a sharp katana, got Eyana's attention, and threw her a steel bow and quiver of matching arrows. The rest of the Cards gathered their respective equipment.

Fons began to roar. All watched as he transformed into his beast form. He was apparently very angry his friends' resting places had been desecrated.

Furey ran at the undead Thurod and slashed at his shoulder with his claws. The Orc's right arm fell to the ground. The group could only watch as the arm dissolved and a new one sprouted out of the zombie's torso. Thurod punched Alfonso in the stomach with his new hand, sending him across the room. As the transformed Nord stood, he wore a quizzical look.

"I do not know much about the undead," Isaiah began, "but I know zombies are not supposed to do that."

"Makenna?" Eyana questioned him in a very worried tone.

The Dunmer mage launched a fireball at the form of Andlaen. The zombie exploded when the spell hit only for the pieces of it to return to one another, completely restoring the Wood Elf.

"I... do not know..." he replied in an equally worried tone.

Alderich began yelling. This time, armor did not come out from under his skin as it had the previous times, it was his skin that changed. It hardened, turning a metallic gray as it did so. His joints separated and the pieces of him expanded. As they grew apart, they remained connected by a constant flow of violet electricity. A Storm Monarch stood in Alderich's place.

The six other Cards looked at him uneasily.

"What?" Alderich asked.

Isaiah shook his head. "Well, we have to find a way to beat them."

"So why are we just standing here?" Ryan asked as he began to charge at Meth's corpse.

Isaiah spoke to the rest of the Cards, "Fons, you get Thurod," he said to the beast. "Alderich, you have Andlaen," he addressed the electrical giant. "Sumika, help Ryan with Meth. The rest of us stay back and support at range."

The zombies were slow and unbalanced, so they attacked infrequently and were easy to dodge, but they regenerated instantly whenever they were damaged. Even the huge steel form of Alderich picking up and electrocuting the undead Bosmer had no effect. Alfonso tore chunks out of Thurod's rotting flesh only for it to reappear. Sumika sliced Ra'Meth with her razor-sharp katana while Ryan beat him in the head and chest with his mace to no avail. The flurry of arrows and spells provided by Isaiah, Makenna, and Eyana penetrated their skin, and even stayed stuck inside them, but had no noticeable effect.

The newly risen zombies were so slow and clumsy they could not contend with the seven Cards, but neither could the Wild Cards gain any ground.

"We are not doing anything!" Ryan yelled.

"There is now way they can beat us," Isaiah returned.

Makenna laughed, "Unfortunately the same applies for us to them."

After about half an hour Makenna pulled Sumika aside. "I have an idea," he said. "Have you noticed that the zombies do not so much regenerate as the parts of them return to themselves?"

"Yes," she replied in a calm voice, Makenna's steadiness relaxing her.

"Well," he continued, "I am going to cast an ice spell, the spell will freeze from the elbow down. I want you to cut the hand off at the wrist. Hopefully being frozen will prevent it from returning to the body."

"Alright," Sumika said nodding.

"I will cast it after you get back over there," Makenna told her.

Sumika ran back to help Ryan. After a few moments of fighting the creature, a blue bolt hit it in the right forearm. The undead swung its icy fist at Ryan.

Before the blow connected, Sumika cut off its hand with a downward slice of her katana. The clenched fist fell to the ground, and stayed there. All seven stared at it for just a few moments.

The chunks of steel that made up Alderich started to come together, and shrank as they did so. The steel turned to flesh and Alderich stood in the Storm Monarch's place. Alderich looked at his brother. Without wasting any more time, Alderich started to change again. His skin froze solid, and a thicker layer of ice began to cover him. Icy spikes grew out of his arms and back.

"Alderich, you already know what you are doing," Isaiah said. "Fons," he turned to the beast, "get your hammer. Makenna, what do you need to keep them frozen?"

"Frost salts," he said, "a lot of them. I have them in my lab."

"Ryan, go get those for him," Osis ordered. "Makenna, get the graves ready. Sumika, Eyana, we are keeping them busy."

Alfonso reverted back to his human form while running to the armory. Ryan sprinted to Makenna's lab and picked up a large bag. It actually took a bit of work because it was frozen to the floor.

Meanwhile, the Frost Monarch Alderich battled Thurod the Orcish zombie, Sumika kept Andlaen occupied, and Isaiah and Eyana pelted Meth with arrows.

Fons returned and stood next to Alderich. He noticed his arrival and held both his palms out towards the zombie. What radiated from his hands was air so cold, the area ahead of him began to snow. The cold wave reached the undead and Thurod stood frozen in place. Furey swung his hammer and struck the Orc in the stomach. The ice sculpture shattered. Hundreds of pieces of frozen flesh fell to the ground, and remained.

Ryan and Makenna entered the ruin. Makenna pointed at the shards that used to be Thurod gro-Monk. Ryan went over and gathered up the pieces into the bag that still carried a small amount of frost salts. He carried them outside to dump them into Thurod's grave.

Makenna went to Isaiah. "Coffins are ready," he told him, "lined with the salts. That should keep them completely frozen unless they are separated."

"Good," Osis said while he released a bolt from his bow. "Ryan can transfer them, you help us."

Makenna, on that order, launched a frost spell at Ra'Meth which hit dead center in the forehead. The Khajiit was frozen from his head down to his shoulders. Eyana launched an arrow from her bow, striking him in the throat. A crack went horizontally across the creature's neck. Meth's head fell to the ground followed by his body.

Pryde returned and began dragging the corpse out to its grave.

Supercold mist was again leaving Alderich's hands and soon after another icy statue stood inside Sercen. Makenna formed a fireball between his palms. He stood and concentrated for a few moments, during which time the flames grew more intense. Makenna released the spell at the frozen Wood Elf. The fireball hit Andlaen in the chest. Not only did the zombie explode, but the chunks of rotting flesh melted and vaporized, turning into mist.

Ryan again came back into the hideout and walked strait though the area where Andlaen had been. No sooner did he do so than he started choking. As Ryan fell to the ground, Alderich changed back into a Dark Elf and he and Alfonso collapsed from exhaustion. Ryan did so shaking and seizuring.


	21. Knowledge

Alfonso, Alderich, and Ryan lay in bed. Alderich in his own bed, Fons in Isaiah's because a bedroll outside was unsuitable for recovery, and Ryan in Makenna's because the floor was also not the preferred condition.

Alderich opened his eyes. "I am really getting sick of waking up and not being able to move," he said to Sumika at his bedside.

Fons fell out of bed. "So am I," he complained from the floor.

"You are both going to be down and out for a few days after that abuse of power," Makenna told them in an irritated tone, "learn to control yourselves."

Isaiah helped Fons back into bed. As he began to lay down, he saw Ryan on the opposite side of Alderich. "How is he doing?"

Isaiah looked over at him then back to Alfonso and Alderich. "We honestly do not know," he sighed. "We cannot wake him. He has a pulse and he is still breathing, so we will just let him wake up when he is ready."

The day for the most part went by without incident. After a few hours, Fons and Alderich were able to stand up and walk around, if unsteadily.

"How are you two feeling?" Eyana asked them as they all crossed paths.

"Good," Fons replied, "but I doubt I will be swinging an axe for a while."

"Yeah," Alderich agreed, "I have just enough strength to walk, not much more than that."

"He move at all yet?" Fons asked nodding at Ryan.

"No," Eyana sighed.

"Isaiah!" Sumika - who had been keeping watch - yelled from the door. "We have a visitor, what do I do?"

Osis looked up from stringing his bow, "Keep them there, I will be right over."

Alderich and Alfonso attempted to put on their armor to check the ruins. Eyana stopped them. "They have this," she reassured them.

Isaiah arrived at the entryway to see a female Bosmer standing next to Sumika. She appeared to be unarmed. "What do you want with the Wild Cards?" he asked the stranger.

"My... employer," she started with a very slight laugh, "has asked me to request your services." She obviously wished for her employer to remain anonymous.

Makenna brushed past them and began to inspect the standing ruins.

"And who might you be?" Isaiah asked.

"My name is Methredhel," she said, "anything else is unimportant."

"For the right price it is," Isaiah said, "yes."

"How much for a distraction?" Methredhel asked.

"What kind of distraction?" Osis queried back.

The Wood Elf thought about how to classify what she needed done. "An... Imperial City Watch wide distraction," she said finally. "And your not questioning why," she added.

"The entire city watch?" Isaiah asked with a laugh.

"The majority of it," she responded. "Preferably without casualties."

"Let me make sure I understand this," Isaiah said, "you want us to distract as much of the Imperial Watch as possible long enough for you to do... whatever it is you need to do, without harming any of them."

"If it's too much for you..." Methredhel began.

"No," Isaiah said not taking the bait and remaining steady, "I am just trying to think of how much this will cost you."

The Bosmer remained silent, her taunt having failed.

"Let me see," Osis thought out loud, "distracting the Watch... probably 30,000 septims..."

"Done," Methredhel said eagerly.

"Hold on," Isaiah stopped her, "not done yet." He continued, "Without wounding or killing any of them, we will double it to 60,000. And finally," he said with a smile of satisfaction, "not exposing a major Thieves Guild heist will run 15,000 up-front."

Not only Methredhel, but all the other Cards stared at him with incredulous looks on their faces.

"You just made me hire you whether I want to or not," the thief finally managed.

Isaiah responded still wearing his smile, "I am completely aware of that."

The rest of the Cards were still speechless.

"I... will come back tomorrow with the details and your up-front pay," she said.

"Did you plan on giving Makenna his ring back now or when we see you tomorrow?" Isaiah asked.

Makenna immediately checked his pocket for his Ring of Wizardry and Methredhel's face flushed. She pulled the ring out of her pocket and gave it to Makenna. The Bosmer left, face ghost white without saying a word.

Isaiah yelled after her, "You can keep my dagger, I have another just like it."

Methredhel broke into a run.

Makenna, Sumika, Eyana, Alderich, and Fons stared at Isaiah.

"How did you know all that?" Makenna queried finally.

"You'll find out a bit after Armande Christophe and S'Krivva arrive tomorrow," he replied.

"Who are-" Alderich began to question.

"Tomorrow," Osis said simply, cutting him off.


	22. Assassination?

All the Cards lay asleep. All but one. Isaiah was in his bed. Alfonso in a bedroll outside. Makenna and Alderich both had bedrolls on the floor so that the girls could use Alderich's bed. Makenna's bed, which had been occupied when the others had turned in, was now empty.

A shadow passed over a sleeping Fons as its caster entered Sercen. Ryan headed up the stairs, just wanting fresh air. As Pryde turned to the door he saw a figure cloaked in black. A flash of silver later, Ryan's throat was cut. Pryde fell to the ground silently and the assassin moved stealthily by.

The assassin saw his target and moved in. He stood over Isaiah's bed and raised his dagger. Some kind of blunt object struck him in the back of his head. The other Cards began to stir as he fell to the ground. The last thing Jamie Weaver saw before slipping into unconsciousness was Ryan Pryde standing over him.


	23. Two Visitors and a Prisoner

The seven Wild Cards stood around a chair with an unconscious assassin tied securely to it.

"Is he a member of the Dark Brotherhood?" Alfonso asked.

"Could be the Morag Tong," Alderich suggested.

"Probably not," Makenna said. "What would someone from Morrowind want Isaiah dead for?"

"He is wearing the robes of the Brotherhood," Ryan pointed out.

"Why do we not just ask him?" Sumika queried.

Everyone looked at each other, unable to come up with a reason.

"Alderich," Isaiah said, indicating the assassin.

This was immediately followed by the Dunmer backhanding the bound assassin. The Breton woke with a start, moving to rub his jaw where he was just hit, but finding he was unable to move. He saw the group standing around him and began to glare at them, three in particular: Isaiah for being his target and simultaneously being alive, Ryan for catching him despite having his throat cut, and Alderich for smacking him.

"Who are you?" Isaiah asked.

The man did not reply.

"Who do you work for?" he questioned further.

No response.

Makenna, thinking about the situation, came up with an idea. "Sithis will be disappointed with your failure," he said.

The assassin's facial expression did not change, but the look in his eyes betrayed his terror.

"After this defeat," the Dunmer continued, "you will be useless to the Brotherhood."

The Dark Brother's glare faltered, but was quickly replaced.

Makenna kept going, "Soon they will send another, better assassin to finish your job... and you."

Weaver broke and stared at the floor between his feet.

"Now," Isaiah said, "who are you?"

"Jamie Weaver..." the assassin muttered.

Isaiah looked at the others to confirm what he had heard. The looks on their faces were all he needed. The shade had said his name, this assassin would be fighting alongside the Wild Cards.

There was a knock at the door. Osis pointed at Fons and Alderich. "Watch him. The rest of you come with me." The five walked to the entrance. As they did, Isaiah gave orders, "Makenna, show the girls how to inspect the ruins. Be subtle in your instructions. I do not wish to convey any ignorance to outsiders. Ryan, stay with me."

Makenna opened the door to reveal a Redguard and a Khajiit. Isaiah waved his hand forward in a signal to advance. Makenna, Eyana, and Sumika pushed past the visitors and began searching the ruins.

"Hello Armande, S'Krivva. Come in," Isaiah greeted them. He led the two to the table. They sat down and Isaiah sat across from them, Ryan stood to his left. Makenna and the elven sisters reentered the hideout. Makenna went and stood to Isaiah's right and the sisters stood behind the three.

The visitors looked past the five solemn Cards and saw a Breton bound to a chair with muscular Nord and Dunmer guards on either side of him. The Redguard opened his mouth to question it.

Isaiah stopped him. "Let me just say that you are not our first visitors today and leave it at that. You need not know more. Now," he changed the subject, "what do you need?"

"A distraction," came S'Krivva's Khajiit hiss.

"Yes, Methredhel told us that much," Isaiah replied.

"Speaking of Methredhel," Armande started, "you gave her quite a scare yesterday, she refused to join us here today."

"Well, she should not have tried to steal from me," Isaiah replied with a smirk.

"She knows that now," Armande said.

"Shall we continue?" S'Krivva questioned.

"What kind of distraction?" Osis queried as if the previous tangent had not been engaged.

"Any kind of distraction," Armande responded, "but preferably without casualties."

"We need the bulk of the Imperial Watch away from the Imperial Prison," S'Krivva added.

"You need the Guard away from the Prison?" Makenna scoffed.

"How much will it cost?" Armande asked ignoring the Dunmer.

"Did Methredhel not tell you already?" Isaiah asked back.

"Yes, she did," Armande replied, "and also the reasoning..."

"So you have the up-front pay?" Isaiah questioned.

"15,000 septims," Armande said placing a canvas sack on the table.

Isaiah picked up the sack and held it in his upturned palm for a moment. "You are 1,000 short," he said finally.

"Never could get anything past you Isaiah," Christophe laughed. He brought out another smaller sack from his pocket and handed it to Osis.

He weighed it. "This has 2,000 septims in it," he said in a questioning tone.

"We thought you would deserve it after that show," S'Krivva said.

'How?' Eyana mouthed to Sumika. She shrugged.

"Any preferences to how we do this?" Isaiah asked the two Thieves Guild doyen.

"You know how we operate," Armande responded, "however you want to do it without casualties. If there are casualties, we will subtract 5,000 septims per life from the rest of your 60,000 septims. Is that acceptable?" he asked.

"Perfectly," Osis responded simply.

"How do you plan to distract them?" S'Krivva asked.

"I did not ask you what you are stealing, and you will not ask how we will assist your robbery," Isaiah said.

Not a word was said in response.

"When is this happening?" Isaiah asked the two.

"Today at noon," S'Krivva answered.

"So you have about three hours to prepare," Armande pointed out.

"Short notice," Isaiah sighed, "but we can work with that... Armande, S'Krivva, if you will leave so we can get ready," he stated as an order, not a request.

Both Thieves Guild doyen left, giving final glances at the Cards' prisoner.


	24. Questions and Answers

"Isaiah," Makenna started in a questioning tone, "how is it you know everything that goes on?"

"It's a gift I have..." he replied.

"What gift?" the Dunmer pressed.

"I don't care to tell you just yet," Isaiah responded.

"Oh, come on," Makenna continued, "we will not tell anyone."

"And neither will I," Isaiah stated, noticeably annoyed. "Now stop pressing or the Watch will find your body in Lake Rumare."

Makenna stopped probing. As the five other Cards approached, the assassin looked up briefly, then back at the floor.

"Look at me," Isaiah said to him. He continued to stare at the floor. "Look me in the face right now or I will put an arrow in the top of your skull."

He looked up, but he looked around Isaiah, avoiding eye contact.

"In the face," Isaiah demanded. "Now."

Weaver made and maintained eye contact.

"Who gave you orders to kill me?" Isaiah questioned.

"My orders came directly from the Listener himself," Weaver replied.

"Who requested the assassination?" Isaiah asked. "Who wants me dead?"

"Sithis," he replied.

"I thought so..." Isaiah said in thought. "Cut him loose."

Alderich obediently cut the ropes around the assassin's hands. Weaver rubbed his wrists and gave Isaiah a puzzled look.

"Now listen, and listen carefully," Isaiah started. "You have been used. Sithis does not want me dead... at least not yet. This was a rouse for you to join us."

"Join you?" he laughed.

"Do you think you were actually meant to kill me?" Osis laughed back. "Alderich, Alfonso, show him why that would not happen."

Fons transformed into his beastform and Alderich began turning into a flame monarch. Weaver looked on in a mixture of horror and awe.

"And him?" Weaver nodded at Ryan.

The group looked at Pryde. "What about him?" Isaiah asked turning back to Weaver.

"His power?" he said.

"Ah..." Isaiah came to a sudden realization. "Give me your hand," he ordered Ryan.

He held out his hand. Isaiah quickly drew his dagger and cut off Ryan's hand at the wrist in one fluid motion. Eyana screamed at the sight while Ryan gave Isaiah a look of horror.

Moments later, the hand seemed to disintegrate on the floor and grew back on Ryan's arm.

"Those undead..." Alderich, back in elf form, realized.

"When I vaporized it , he must have inhaled it and gained their powers..." Makenna finished.

"You cut off my hand!" Ryan yelled.

"You grew it back," Isaiah said smiling. "Besides, he slit your throat," he pointed at Weaver.

"How do you-?" Ryan started.

Isaiah interrupted him. "So Jaime, you are free to look around our hideout, but you will not leave. Is that understood?"

"Why?" Jaime asked.

"Because no matter how little you or I like the turn of events, you are a Wild Card now," Isaiah answered.

"And if I do try to leave?" Jaime asked already knowing the answer.

Isaiah smiled. "Alderich, Ryan, and Sumika will be staying here, and they will kill you."

"So what is our plan for the distraction?" Eyana asked Isaiah.

"The three of us," he said indicating himself, Makenna, and Eyana, "will be capturing Alfonso."

"Care to elaborate?" Makenna asked.

"Fons will be in the Market District in his beast form, cause a little bit of chaos - without killing anyone. Then we come. You and I will have arrows coated with a poison of paralysis," he motioned towards Eyana, "and capture him."

"You are going to shoot me!?" Fons yelled.

"Well, if you do not think you are strong enough, we could trade you for a monarch..." Makenna taunted him.

"No, no, no," Fons shook his head, "I have this." He looked at the others. "What exactly am I doing?"

Makenna explained. "You go into the Market District, destroy some property. The Watch comes to take you down, we immobilize you first. We convince the Watch we are mercenaries hired to capture you."

"Why do I have to get shot?" Alfonso asked confusedly.

"To make it convincing," Alderich answered.

"No, I want some target practice," Isaiah joked.

"I take it you need me to make those poisons of paralysis," Makenna said.

"If you would," Isaiah replied.

"First I was confused by you letting me live," Jaime said. "Now you are discussing your plans in front of me and treating me as if I am one of you."

"Do you not get it!?" Isaiah reeled at him yelling. "Must I spell it out for you? We were visited by a shade, a servant of your master, telling us you would join our ranks. You have been abandoned."

Weaver recoiled from the shouting Imperial. "No, that cannot be," he stammered, "I have been a loyal child of Sithis, my lord cannot just abandon me."

"Your loyalty has not been reciprocated," Osis said flatly.

Jaime could not find a way to respond.

"Makenna, Eyana, Fons, get ready," Isaiah ordered. "Sumika, guard the entrance, do not let anyone in without my permission," he turned slightly in Jaime's direction, "or out."


	25. Escape

Although he was here to fulfill a contract for the Brotherhood, a now unachievable goal at the moment, Jaime's focus was now centered solely on getting out of the lair of the Wild Cards. He had certain reservations about enjoying the forced hospitality of a man he was assigned to assassinate, a reasonable frame of mind.

Jaime had only about an hour to escape. While after the four Cards involved with the distraction left there would only be three of them left to watch him, they would not have their attention divided by preparation. He would have to leave now.

All of the Cards were going about their chores, seemingly not paying attention to him. He knew though that all eyes were upon him. He knew escaping from Sercen would be quite a challenge, but it must be done, he could not stay here. After going over all the possible ways to avoid the notice of the Cards in his head, there was no way around it, Sumika would have to die. She was a beautiful elf, but she was in his way.

Jaime wandered over to the dining area and sat down. He had a simple plan, but it may work because the Cards were occupied. Once the group left, the rest would be able to focus completely on him.

"Everyone!" Isaiah yelled. "Over here." He apparently had something to show them something.

Sumika took a step away from the door and looked hesitantly at Jaime.

"Come on Sumika, you too," Osis said.

As Sumika passed the chair he was seated in, Jaime was amazed that they now left the entrance to the ruin completely unguarded. He unfortunately underestimated the Wild Cards.

In the corner of his eye, Alderich saw Jaime run for the exit and made to go after him. Isaiah grabbed his shoulder in a motion to let him go. Alderich reluctantly obeyed.

When Weaver opened the door, he was struck speechless. He had seen Sumika pass by him back in the main room. Yet here she stood, three of her. One stood in front of the other two, arms crossed. Her duplicates behind her had katanas at the ready.

The lead Sumika pulled a small glass bottle filled with a yellow liquid out of her pocket and threw it straight down. A blinding white flash filled Jaime's vision for an instant. In this instant he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head and left consciousness.


	26. Blood Sisters

So, as one Sumika stood with the rest of the Cards, she watched as another led two more who were carrying an unconscious Jaime Weaver.

First Alderich was speechless. Then he turned to Isaiah who had prevented hi from stopping Jaime, "You knew about this too?"

"Yeah…" he replied grinning.

"Why did you not tell me?" Alderich turned to the Sumika that had been with them.

"Because she cannot speak," said the Sumika leading the two carrying Jaime, "only I can."

"What exactly is going on?" Alderich asked looking to everyone.

"I'm not quite sure," she answered, "but I think it's similar to what Ryan does."

"Why do you say that?" Alderich turned to the speaking Sumika.

"If you remember correctly," she began, "I was the one fighting Andlaen. When Makenna vaporized him, I got some of it too."

"How does that explain these duplicates?" Ryan asked.

The original Sumika unsheathed her katana just enough to reveal the sharp blade. She cut the tip of her finger just enough to draw blood. She let a drop of it fall to the floor.

After contact with the stone, the blood expanded and formed a female shape. Skin then covered the shape and long orange hair came out of her head. Another identical Sumika stood next to the original. "That is incredible," Eyana said in response to the spectacle.

"You are one lucky bastard Alderich," Makenna said to his brother.

Each Sumika but the original cut their hand open and placed it on the original's shoulder. They appeared to be absorbed into her. Soon, only the original remained with a pile of blue ninja garbs laying next to her.

"By the way Makenna," Sumika said turning to him, "those flash bombs you made worked perfectly."

"I am glad all of you approve," he chuckled. "I will have smoke bombs ready soon."

"Well," Eyana got his attention, "I'll be taking those."

Weaver began to stir. He bolted into an upright sitting position. "Did I…?"

"Yes," Isaiah replied simply before Weaver could fully gather his thoughts. "So what have we learned?"

"I will stay put…" Jaime surrendered.

"Good," Isaiah said satisfied. "You three," he indicated Makenna, Eyana, and Alfonso, "time to go. Alderich, you have guard gimpy."

A flame vortex appeared on the floor and Daria materialized in the center of it. "Mind helping me out with that?" Alderich asked the monarch.

"Not at all," she replied. She walked over to the exit and stood there, arms crossed, as a guardian.

"Whatever works," Isaiah shrugged. "Move out," he told his group.

As the four involved in the mission left, Alderich summoned Xander and the two sat down to talk.


	27. Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body

After Isaiah, Fons, Makenna, and Eyana had left, Ryan, Sumika, and Jaime immediately got bored. Alderich, who was having a lengthy conversation with Xander about his philosophies and experiences (which were many because daedra are immortal), was perfectly content.

Ryan and Sumika were still being wary of Jaime, so found each other. "Want to fight?" she asked him.

"Sure," Ryan replied eager to break the boredom, "let us go ask Alderich for some blunted weapons."

"Do we need them?' she queried. "We both regenerate, why do we not use sharp blades?"

"Um…" he hesitated. He did not wish to back down from a challenge, but he was not sure about using sharp weapons. Her regeneration was different from his, while his healing would protect him from a mortal wound, he was not sure about hers. "Alright," he agreed against his better judgment.

" I do need to ask Alderich for a few extra katanas though," she said.

"Why do you need…?" before he finished the question, the answer dawned on him. She smiled. She intended to fight using her duplicates.

"You know what I am afraid of," he said to her.

"Yes, and that is why you will be fighting them, not me," she replied. "Watch."

She drew blood from her finger and let it hit the floor. As soon as the second Sumika stood complete, the original drew her katana and stabbed the duplicate in the heart. She reduced to a mass of blood which moved along the blade of the katana and was absorbed by the original.

"they can die and I will be unaffected," she told him. "I can suffer mortal wounds and will be staying out of the fight."

"Is this not training?" Ryan asked her. "For you and me?"

"We are all of the same consciousness," Sumika explained. "Whatever they learn, I learn. I'll be right back."

Sumika walked over to where Alderich was sitting with Xander.

"Hey Alderich," she said as she approached him," can I have about half a dozen more sharp katanas?"

"I only have five of them," he replied turning away from Xander to her, "why?"

"Because I can multiply," she replied sitting in his lap, "and if you help us out now, we will all make it worth you while later."

Alderich turned back to Xander. " he said holding up a finger signifying he would be right back. He then picked up Sumika and stood her up. Then he got up himself and went to the armory. He returned half a minute later with a bundle of Akaviri blades under his arm.

"So you are using live weapons in a training fight?" Alderich asked as he handed her the blades.

She smiled and nodded.

"And you know what you are doing?" he pressed further.

"Yes Alderich," she replied still smiling.

She took the katanas.

"Thanks," she turned and ran off to the sparring area.

Xander chuckled.

Meanwhile, Jaime approached Daria, who was guarding his only way out. He knew there was now way he could sneak past or defeat the daedra in combat, so he would try to persuade her.

"So…" he began, trying to mask his nervousness.

"No," the monarch replied without letting him finish.

"Hear me out," he requested.

"Alright," she said, "but I already know what you are going to say."

"Well, why do you obey his orders and just stand here?" he questioned her.

"Because it is not an order," she responded, "it is a request."

"But why?" he asked again.

"These Wild Cards are the only mortals I have ever respected, Alderich and Makenna especially," she explained. "In their short, half century lives so far they have assisted me immensely, so I can take a few hours out of my immortal existence to guard a door."

Jaime had now way to respond and remained silent.

"You should count yourself lucky they have not killed you yet," Daria said, they normally have no mercy whatsoever towards trespassers."

The two watched as Sumika unrolled the bundle of katanas and let a drop of blood hit the floor.

"Looks like we get some entertainment," Daria commented, "enjoy it."

Ryan drew his shortsword as the duplicate Sumika picked up one of the katanas.

Sumika rushed at him, blade forward in a thrust. Pryde swung his sword as he dodged and sliced her arm. Soon another Sumika was grabbing up a katana. This was now a two on one fight.

The two duplicate Sumikas circled around him on opposite sides. Ryan stood in between them, trying to keep an eye on each of them.

One of the Sumikas swung her word directly level with his neck. He easily blocked the shot, but he did not notice the other one roll behind him. She was now outside of his line of sight and sliced him in the back.

Ryan yelled in pain, but the wound healed instantly. "Blood for blood," the Sumika off to the side stated.

The fighting Sumikas now stood shoulder to shoulder. One of them swung her bladed at him. He blocked it, and the two held their swords together, pushing against their enemy trying to gain ground. The other duplicate put her hand on Ryan's shoulder as she walked around behind him. He braced himself. Pryde grunted in pain as her katana entered his back.

"Do you give up yet?" the original asked him.

Ryan pushed the copy's blade off of his and used his elbow to hit the one behind him in the face. Her nose began to bleed. The blood trickled down to her chin where a single drop fell to the floor.

A few moments later, another Sumika stood before him with a katana at the ready.

Ryan began to look worried. Sumika would not be able to kill him, but having his limbs cut off repetitively would still hurt quite a bit.

One of the duplicates used her katana to cut her hand Ryan groaned as the blood fell from her palm to the floor.

"You act like you are afraid of being hurt," Sumika said to Ryan.

"Well, I do have four of you trying to cut me in half," he shot back.

She cut her hand and let the blood fall to the floor. "Five," she said with a duplicate of herself grabbing the last katana off the floor.

"This is what I am talking about!" he yelled at her.

"And cutting open my hand does not hurt me?" she asked rhetorically.

Pryde grew a puzzled face with a hint of realization. He watched as another drop of blood fell onto the floor from her still open wound. It hit the stone and did nothing.

Ryan then just looked puzzled, "You…?"

"Do not have to make a copy of myself?" she asked rhetorically again. "Yeah. What are you going to do about it?"

Ryan clutched the hilt of his sword tighter. He lunged at one of the duplicates before any of them could react and stabbed her through the heart. She fell to the floor I a puddle of blood. This puddle slid across the floor back into the original Sumika.

"Have I instilled some fight into you scholar?" Sumika asked in a mocking tone.

Pryde swung his blade horizontally at one of the other copies. A katana came from his side and blocked him. He slid his sword along her blade and brought it off still in motion towards her. It cut the Dunmer woman in half just below the ribs.

"I will take that as a yes…" she said satisfied with herself. One of the remaining Sumikas made a downward stroke to his shoulder, exiting his armpit. His flesh healed as the blade passed through it, his arm was never separated from his body.

"You are a cautious fighter, Sumika commented. "To use your gift to its fullest you have to be more aggressive. Focus on dealing damage, you can take your hits."

Ryan swung his sword in an arc head level with the last three duplicates. The first in the line blocked it easily and the other two stabbed him in either shin. He fell to his knees.

He looked at his sword then threw it to the side. "not giving up are we?" Sumika asked him.

He drew his mace from his belt. "Never."

"You know a mace is harder to block with than a blade," she said.

"But it deals more damage," he said back. He swung the mace and shattered one of the Sumika's knees.

Another copy stabbed at Ryan. He attempted to block the blade with his mace, but the curved blade easily slid around the rounded handle directly into his stomach.

Pryde pulled the blade out of his abdomen as he stood. The Sumika whose leg he broke cut through his ankle, and it healed behind her blade. He stepped on her head, crushing her skull.

A Sumika came up behind him and held him at the elbows. The other stabbed and sliced him repetitively. It looked as if the battle was all but lost for Ryan.

Sumika -or replica of her as it were- slashed Ryan in the arm just above the elbow here her look-alike held him. His arm was severed and did not regenerate. When he was free of her grasp his arm dissolved and joined with him once again. He used his now free arm to jab his holder in the stomach. She lost her grip on him. He rolled over to his sword, grabbed it up and span with it as he stood.

The blade connected with the base of one of the duplicate's necks. It did not stop.

He swung at the last copy. The sword entered her left shoulder and kept going down into her heart. In his adrenaline-filled fury, he swung his shortsword at the original Sumika. She attempted to draw her katana, but was too slow.

A longsword came out of nowhere to bock the shortsword.

Ryan looked down the blade at the Dunmer holding the hilt.

"That is one too many," Alderich told him.


	28. Crossing Rumare

Isaiah grew a smile of satisfaction when he heard Sumika's katana clash with Ryan's shortsword as he, Makenna, Eyana, and Alfonso left Sercen. Makenna noticed.

"You have that smile again…" he told him.

"What smile?" Isaiah asked in a mocking tone.

"That smile you get when a plan you have laid comes together exactly as you hoped," Makenna replied. "What did you do?"

"Nothing that will not benefit all involved," he answered.

Makenna knew he would not be extracting anymore information than that and ceased questioning.

Alfonso looked across Lake Rumare at the Market District on the other side. "It is a shame we have to go all the way around the Red Ring Road to get somewhere so close."

"No, we do not," Makenna interjected.

"I do not feel like swimming," Eyana said to him.

"No," he said waving his hand allowing a bluefish purple wave to sweep over them, "we walk."

Makenna stepped out onto the water and stood on its surface. Eyana and Alfonso walked over to the shore and stomped on the water. They found it was quite solid. Isaiah strode past them and stood next to Makenna.

"How long does this spell last?" Eyana asked Makenna.

"Long enough to cross," he responded. "If we get to it."

At those words, the four immediately started off across the lake to the Market District of the Imperial City.

"I be you are uncomfortable Fons," Eyana commented.

"Not every day I walk on water," he replied.

"I was talking about being shot at by Isaiah and myself," she laughed.

Alfonso, who had been watching his footing very intently, heard that comment and lost his concentration. He fell face first into the lake.

"Hey!" he yelled at Makenna. "I thought this spell was for water-walking!"

"Sorry," Makenna answered with a chuckle, "I must have left out the tripping-and-falling part of the spell."

Isaiah and Eyana laughed as Fons floated in the water.

"I could use levitation if you would rather…" Makenna suggested jokingly.

"You know what…" Alfonso stared nervously. "I'm fine swimming."

"Not one for finesse Fons?" Eyana queried.

"The biggest hammer wins," he replied.

"Said like a Nord," Isaiah commented.

Makenna cast a pale blue spell at Fons.

"What the hell was that!?" the Nord yelled.

"Water-breathing," Makenna responded, "thought you might want it to fight off that slaughter fish. Seeing as how you're swimming and all."

With a confused and astounded look on his face, Alfonso was pulled underwater.

Furey took his hammer off of his back as he floated face-to-face with a toothy, ugly looking fish. Alfonso swung the warhammer at the slaughter fish, but the water slowed his swing so that the scaly monster was easily able to move around it. The fish bit him in the arm as he put the hammer on his back again, it would be useless underwater.

Fons swung his fist at the fish. The blow connected with the slaughter fish's head but its sharp teeth drew blood from his knuckle as well. The fish wrapped itself around Alfonso's neck, attempting to strangle him. He grabbed it by its neck, cutting his hand all the while. It wriggled around in his hand until he snapped its spine.

Fons returned to the surface gasping and sputtering. Without saying a word to the others he began swimming as fast as he could towards the shore of the Imperial Isle.

Once all four of them got there, Fons was panting, the others were laughing. "How did the bigger hammer help?" Makenna asked jokingly.

"Just get this over with," Furey pointed at the Market District gate.

"Alright," Isaiah took control. All laughing ceased. "Here is the plan: we three," he indicated himself, Makenna, and Eyana, go in and get to our positions. I will be in the upstairs window of the Merchant' Inn, you two will be on the roof of the Black Horse Courier. After about ten minutes," he turned to Alfonso, "you come in and start causing some havoc, get attention, in your beast form of course."

"And then you shoot me?" Fons asked.

"No," Isaiah replied. "Your appearance will be a major event in the city, they will send the bulk of the guard to take you down. Once they are there, then we shoot you. Our arrows will be coated with a poison to paralyze you. We come down and convince the guard to release you into our custody. It is very important you do not kill anyone, otherwise we lose some of our pay and it will be harder to negotiate with the guard. Good to go?"

Yeah…" Fons said hesitantly.

"You two?" Isaiah asked Makenna and Eyana.

"Always," Makenna responded.


	29. Attack on the Market District

The Market District was a bustling place. Merchants sold things in the street, beggars asked for coins, and civilians went about their daily errands.

Today was exactly like any other day in the Imperial City: people went about their lives while the Watch stood idly by. Safe and comforting monotony.

No one noticed the Nord stride into the deserted courtyard behind the Merchants' Inn or the three others: two Dunmer and an Imperial climbing to the roofs of buildings.

After several minutes, screams erupted in the crowd as a tree flew out of the courtyard and into a group of barrels in front of the Feed Bag. Fruits and vegetables tumbled across the street as a creature no inhabitant of the city had ever seen emerged from the alleyway. The crowd scattered, going into shops and adjacent districts to flee the beast.

The monster picked up an apple and ate it all in one bite, chewed, and spit it out disgustedly. The apple struck the chest plate of an Imperial Guard. The beast recoiled at the proximity of the man and punched him in the floating ribs. Even through the heavy steel armor the Imperial's ribs shattered and he fell to one knee.

The guard's comrades unsheathed their blades. Half a dozen steel claymores faced the monster. Another guard ran up, ready to join the fight, but was told instead to go to the northeast and request reinforcements from the Imperial Prison.

One of the guards leveled his blade and swung at the beast. Before the sword connected, the monster caught it, a palm on either side of the blade. It twisted its hands and broke the sword in half.

The creature kicked another guard's claymore out of his hands, it landed on the roof of a nearby building. Another length of steel approached the monster. It grabbed the guard's hands and twisted. The Imperial's wrists broke with a resounding snap and the blade fell to the ground, a furry heel stomped and shattered it.

The remaining three guards were helpless as the creature took all three of their claymores and broke them over its knee at once.

A dozen more armed guards burst through the northeast gate of the district.

An arrow flew through the air, aimed at the creature. It broke in half midair, seemingly without cause. Another two bolts left the rooftops and promptly exploded. A figure cloaked in black stood in the shadows of an alley, smiling that unseen twisted smile.

Two guards each grabbed the creature's arms and legs, it took eight Imperials to hold it down, and even then, barely. Four chained clamps were put on the beast, two each on arms and legs, it would certainly break through one.

The guards containing the beast were approached by an Imperial leading two Dunmer.

"The situation is under control citizen," one of the guards announced holding up a halting hand. "There is nothing you can do here."

"We are mercenaries, hired to capture this creature," Isaiah said to the guard, "we have come to take custody of him."

The guard's composure did not falter. "This monster is your mark and you didn't engage?"" he questioned rhetorically. "No, we captured it without your help, it is our prisoner. Now leave or you will be made to do so."

As the three were escorted away, the creature -Fons- shot Isaiah a wounded look.

Isaiah turned towards the alley in time to see the shade melt into the shadows.


	30. The Wrath of Sithis

"They took Fons!?" Alderich shouted unintentionally.

"why did they not put him in your charge?" Sumika questioned.

"A shade sabotaged us," Makenna responded. "Destroyed the arrows before they reached Fons, the guards did not see them and assumed we did not attack."

"Why would a shade sabotage us?" Alderich asked. "If I remember correctly, they wanted the Wild Cards to be together."

"That shade told us who the Cards would be," Isaiah corrected, not that it wanted us united. But I do agree there is something deeper in play here."

"So what do we do?" Ryan asked the group.

"It should be obvious, "Eyana said to him annoyed, "we find Fons, rescue him."

An ugly problem reared its head. "Where is he?" Sumika asked.

"I honestly have no idea," Isaiah replied.

"I have a good guess," Jaime said from the shadows.

All eyes turned to the assassin. "What?" Alderich muttered. You want to help us now?"

"You are all completely right," Jaime started, "if Isaiah was meant to die by the hand of a Dark Brother, another would have been sent by now, we do not leave contracts uncompleted. I am yours."

At those words, a noticeable chill filled the air. The temperature dropped and white mist was visible coming from everyone's mouths. All seven shivered; it was not a shiver of cold, this was caused by something… unnatural.

There was a screech that forced the Cards' hands to their ears. A wraith removed itself from the wall and went straight at Jaime. Weaver managed to block, but the wraith still knocked him to the ground. The specter disappeared into the opposite wall. The Wild Cards readied their weapons.

Jaime held up his hand. "I know it is not my place to ask anything from any of you," he told them, "but this is my fight."

"You want to fight that thing alone?" Alderich asked chuckling and placing his sword back in its sheath. "Suit yourself."

Jaime looked to Isaiah. He wore a smile of approval and nodded.

Weaver separated himself from the rest of the group and held his shining silver dagger in front of his chest in a fighting stance. He would not be surprised again. That was his job.

The Cards did however notice a problem with the assassin's stance. The wraith had gone into the wall he had his back to. The others had no time to point this out however, the phantom had already left its sanctuary of stone and was charging Jaime.

'I surprise,' Jaime thought to himself as he span the left, blade extended, to dodge the wraith's attack and slash the creature's ethereal chest. As the wraith passed him, he fluidly brought his blade about into an upwards slice across its retreating back. The phantom quickly headed towards the wall to lick its wounds.

Weaver held his dagger, dripping with ectoplasm, by the blade with two fingers. He threw the dagger at the creatures back. The silver stuck, but the wraith continued to the wall. Jaime's dagger clattered to the ground outside of the phantom's protective stone.

Jaime slowly went forward towards the wall to retrieve his dagger. The wraith could be anywhere by now, so caution was currently his best defense, along with his weapon. The assassin got low and reached for the hilt of his blade. His fingertips were only inches from their goal when a ghostly bluegreen hand slashed through the air at him. He quickly backed up, forced to leave his weapon.

The wraith picked up the dagger and charged at Weaver. Jaime found a weapon to block the specter's furious attacks: as steel longsword. The blade would be sufficient to parry with, but would be unable to damage the spirit's form.

Jaime blocked the wraith's flurry of attacks, but could make no advances of his own and so was soon backed against a wall. He looked around for something that could change the tied of battle. He saw a quiver of silver arrows off to his side, the very same arrows Isaiah had used to battle an ogre alongside Makenna. He took one.

The wraith came forward for one final charge. Weaver sidestepped his own blade and held out Isaiah's arrow level with the phantom's head. The wraith failed to slow and its head slid down the shaft of silver.

The wraith began to dissipate and went into the wall. Strangely however, the fading spirit pushed Jaime into the wall along with it. Eyana gasped as he disappeared through the stone.

The other six Cards held their breath for what seemed like hours. Jaime emerged from the wall and they released the air in their lungs.

Jaime waved his hand through the wall, and was successful. "This is… new."

"I guess he is a Card," Alderich said looking at Weaver's arm in the wall.

"He has a power like we do," Sumika commented.

"Like most of us do," Eyana added resentfully. "Isaiah, Makenna, and I seem to be left out."

Isaiah did not speak but did have something to say. No one questioned him directly, so he would wait a minute longer…

"So, what was that wraith?" Makenna asked. "Why did it come all the way here?"

"That was the Wrath of Sithis," Jaime explained. "A Wrath of Sithis is sent out when someone breaks one of the Five Tenets or otherwise betrays the Dark Brotherhood."

"So you can now pass through physical objects like a wraith does?" Makenna questioned more.

Weaver nodded. "It seems so…"

"Do you still have a physical presence?" Ryan queried.

Jaime placed his palm flat against the stone next to him.

"Interesting," Isaiah said, "but we should move on. You said you may know where to find Alfonso."

"Yes," Jaime started, "there is a tower in Blackwood where the Imperials keep strange creatures they capture. They are quite secretive about it."

"How do you know of it?" Alderich queried.

"I have removed many undesirable creatures from existence," the Breton replied.

"That is a bit of a walk away, but we have a destination," Isaiah said. He decided it was time. "What do you say we take a shortcut?"


	31. Gateway

"How do you make a shortcut out of a three days' walk?" Makenna questioned.

"I make it half a day's walk," Isaiah responded promptly.

"You make it half a day's walk?" Alderich repeated. "How do you intend to do that?"

"Maybe it would be better if I showed you?" Isaiah asked.

"I think that would be a good idea," Sumika broke in.

Isaiah held up his hand, which glowed with a bright golden light. "Very well."

The light in Isaiah's palm exploded in a blinding burst. When the room was again visible, a portal of gold stood behind the Wild Card leader. He stepped backwards into it and disappeared from Tamriel.

"I hate it when the does stuff like that…" Alderich commented. He inadvertently held his breath and jumped in.

"Alderich…" Sumika whispered and hurled herself into the portal after him.

"You had better not leave without me!" Eyana yelled after her sister and followed.

"Nothing to lose now…" Jaime said as he disappeared.

"I believe this is definitely worth exploration," Ryan told Makenna as he stepped into the unknown.

Makenna was the last remaining Card. "Blindly following again…" he muttered. "Fuck." He walked into the gateway.


	32. Moonshadow

The Cards stepped out of the golden portal onto an awe inspiring scene. It seemed to be a forest, but it was very definitely different from any in Tamriel. All of the colors blended together: trees appeared to be part of the ground, the sky was an extension of the grass. Everything blended as one yet was somehow clearly separate. The entire world seemed to be a living watercolor painting. All but Isaiah stumbled and fell repeatedly as they attempted to adjust to these strange new surroundings.

"Stupid question Isaiah…" Alderich began, dizzily turning to his leader. "Where are we?"

"Azura's realm, Moonshadow," Isaiah told them.

Ryan's jaw dropped. "We are in Moonshadow?"

"How did you transport us to Oblivion?" Sumika asked.

"I have been able to travel the realms freely since as long as I care to remember," Isaiah replied.

"Why have you never told us this before?" Eyana queried, irritation playing across her face.

"What reason has there ever been for you to know?" he returned.

She could not think of anything and closed her mouth.

Alderich spoke uneasily. "Another stupid question…"

"You are on a roll…" Makenna joked.

Alderich scowled his brother then turned back to Isaiah. "Why are we here?"

"We will get to our destination faster by traveling through this realm," Isaiah explained.

"Why will we move faster traveling through Oblivion?" Ryan queried.

Isaiah stood a moment, trying to think of a way to explain. "Think of Nirn as a circle," he began finally, "and to get from one point on the circle to another you must travel along the circumference. Now, think of the different realms of Oblivion as lines through that circle. Is it not a shorter path along a straight line than an arc?"

Everyone nodded understandingly.

"How much did you simplify that?" Makenna asked.

"A lot," Isaiah grinned.

"Isaiah?" Sumika started from behind a rock. "Are the inhabitants of Moonshadow dangerous?"

"Some of them," he replied, "why?"

The rock Sumika stood behind continued to stare at her. She slowly began to strafe around the stone as it slowly began to rise, its limbs becoming visible. "What about this one?" she asked indicating the creature, now standing ten feet tall and six feet wide.

"That is a golem," the Imperial told her, "and it is intensely dangerous."

"Is that made of solid stone?" Ryan gaped at the giant.

"That is why it is so deadly," Isaiah said, "none of our weapons or magic will harm it."

Makenna started to back away. "So we run."

"No, we do not," Isaiah stopped him. "Golems are as fast as they are strong and resilient. It would catch you and pummel you to death before you could curse your luck."

"Why has it not yet?" Alderich questioned Isaiah.

"They have poor eyesight," he explained. "Because we have not moved much, it is only slightly aware of our presence."

"I have a feeling that will not hold for long," Alderich said. "You all run while I keep it busy." Before anyone could say otherwise, he began changing into the massive metallic form of a Storm Monarch.

The golem saw the electric being and charged, knocking him to the ground. The creature sat on Alderich's chest and began punching him relentlessly in the head with wide, crude swings. Bolts of lightning deflected harmlessly off the stone.

Sumika stood with katana at the ready about to attack the giant she stood no chance against. The others however began to run while Alderich bought them time. Ryan picked up Sumika, threw her over his shoulder, and ran without any difficulty as she struggled to stay.

"I will not let Alderich risk his life while you waste yours," Ryan told her as he began to catch up to Isaiah at the lead of the group and followed him as he made a sharp turn through watercolor trees.

The six remained running for two hours, encountering various kinds of wildlife, luckily no more golems. They broke through a group of bushes into a clearing where they all stopped in their tracks.

In front of them stood a castle unlike any of them, other than Isaiah, had ever seen. This castle stood, or floated, above a lake filled with multicolored water in the reds, oranges, and yellows of dusk and dawn. A staircase made of a golden material lead to the main gate which, along with the rest of the castle, hovered unmoving three dozen feet from the surface of the water. The walls of the fortress were made of the same material as the stairs, which also glittered red and orange in the sun.

As the group approached the base of the stairs on the beach, they noticed two humanoid figures stood on either side of them. The daedra walked over to the Cards. These servants of Azura stood about seven feet tall, had pale yellow skin, golden armor that matched the stairs they guarded and large golden axes.

"What brings you here Isaiah?" one of the creatures asked, eyeing the Imperial's companions.

"Just passing through," Isaiah replied. "I would like to speak to your mistress though if it is not a problem."

"Certainly," the daedra waved his hand to the stairs.

As they ascended the stairs, the sky darkened, strange as it was noon. Looking into the sky, the group was struck with the sight of the moon blocking the out the sun.


	33. Azura

Upon stepping into the castle's courtyard, some of the Cards thought they had been cruelly placed back into the forests of Moonshadow. On closer inspection, this collection of trees and bushes and some lesser fauna as well was surrounded by the golden walls of the castle.

The six passed through the trees - one more literally than the others - to the door of the main hall on the other side.

The door swung open to reveal a large hallway leading up to a throne at the far wall. On this throne sat a beautiful Chimer woman, not a Dunmer as they are now, but a Chimer. She wore an elegant deep purple dress and the Dunmer's original pale pink flesh.

Isaiah, Ryan, Sumika, Eyana, and Jaime dropped to their knees. Makenna looked at them as if they were superstitious morons, regardless of the Daedric Prince seated before them.

"Get on your knees stupid!" Isaiah barked.

Makenna slowly, as if mockingly, lowered himself.

"You need not kneel Isaiah," Azura said gently.

Isaiah began to stand. Makenna followed.

"I said Isaiah!" Azura raised her voice forcing him to his knees as the castle, and perhaps all of Moonshadow, shuttered. Isaiah scowled his mage.

"What do you need Isaiah?" Azura questioned the Imperial, her gentle yet powerful tone returned.

Isaiah started by explaining what had happened in the past week and the situation with Alfonso. "We are planning on just passing through," he said, "but one of mine needs help with a golem."

"I will send some of my servants to assist your friend," Azura told him, "despite you not planning on visiting me."

The others thought it strange for a Daedric Prince to joke with a mortal.

Sumika burst in, "May I accompany them?"

"You may," Azura responded promptly. "I may even have a gift or two for you if you wish."

"For me my lady?" Sumika queried in surprise. "It would be my honor."

"Good," the daedra responded. "Now, Isaiah, I would like to speak to you in private."

Azura stepped through a door to the side of her throne and Isaiah followed.

"You know you can no longer lead them," Azura told him once they were out of earshot of the others.

"But I still do not understand why my lady," Isaiah said to her with a look of discomfort.

"Talos was the king of men, not gods, only Akatosh may lead the Nine," Azura said to him as gently as ever. "While we do not like the Aedra, only they may lead us out of the darkness to come."

"I understand my lady.." Isaiah replied dejectedly.

"Now, I do not want that servant of Sithis in my realm," Azura said to Isaiah. "Lead him out immediately."

"Jaime is no longer in the Dark Brotherhood," Isaiah told her confused.

Azura scowled. "I thought you would have figured it out by now," she taunted him. "I wasn't referring to the Breton."

Realization struck Isaiah with a force that made him sick. "I see…" he muttered finally. "We will be on our way immediately then…" Isaiah began to walk away.

"Goodbye…" Azura said suffering slightly from the mortal emotion regret.

Isaiah nodded his head in farewell.


	34. DoubleEdged Sword

"Everyone, time to go!" Isaiah shouted to the Cards as he entered the throne room. "Sumika, you may remain here if you still wish to."

She nodded.

Isaiah did not wait for anyone else to respond before he was out the door into the courtyard. As the others got there he was already outside the main gate and heading down the stairs.

"In a hurry are we?" Ryan questioned Isaiah running to catch up.

"One of us is not welcome here," Isaiah told him, "I do not care to go any further with this conversation and I do not care to irritate a Daedric Prince with their extended presence. Now move!" Isaiah broke into a sprint.

Isaiah led them along the coast of the lake for a few minutes then entered the forest again. About two more hours later they emerged into a clearing. This clearing was filled with rocks. These rocks began to stir. There must have been at least half a dozen golems.

Isaiah quickly opened a portal to Tamriel. "Through now!" he shouted.

The five Cards dove through the portal just as the golems were beginning to bear down on them. They emerged from the gateway seven feet above the crest of a very steep hill. They fell to the grass and rolled down to the bottom.

They stood and got oriented next to a ruined fort. "This is it," Jaime told them.

"This is a ruin," Makenna said to the Breton, "a deserted one at that. Would there not be guards at the stronghold you spoke of?"

"There are guards," Weaver assured him, "they are all inside the fort. This is a very secret Imperial prison, they do not intend to give it away with their visible presence."

"How do we get in?" Eyana asked holding up a heavy chain around the front door of the fort. The lock appeared to be on the inside.

Jaime walked through the gate and a few moments later the chain fell to the ground. "Easier than my usual entrance," he commented as the gate swung open.

"What is your usual entrance?" Makenna asked curiously.

"You do not want to know…" he responded.

"Jaime, you have the lead," Isaiah told the Breton.

Weaver disappeared into the fort followed by Isaiah, Eyana, Makenna, and finally Ryan covering the rear.

"So…" Eyana whispered. "What kind of creatures do they keep here?"

"See for yourself," Weaver replied nodding his head off to the right.

Eyana turned her head to look at the beast in the cage next to him. What she saw did not seem like an animal at all but a large plant. Looking carefully however revealed very obvious features: a face, limbs, and such. Although the gnarl would be unable to attack through its steel bars, Eyana recoiled in surprise.

The group passed dozens more creatures behind heavy, rusted steel bars. The monsters came in all shapes and sizes, but none of them resembled a werepyre. Strangely, they encountered no guards thus far.

There was a roar of agony in the distance. The Cards sprinted quickly and quietly down the remainder of the hallway. They finally emerged into a large room in the center of which was a werepyre chained to a table surrounded by half a dozen elite Imperial guards.

There was another problem however, one that needed to be quickly dealt with. The problem was a simple noise, the sound of a set of tumblers moving to the unlocked position. Then another set, and another, dozens of tumblers mysteriously moving to unlocked. If any of the Cards knew to squint down the dark hallway they had just traveled, they could see a hooded figure and a hidden smile.

"Who's there!?" one of the Imperials shouted towards the hallway. He turned back to the other guards, "Be ready men, we have intruders."

The Cards heard all six Imperials draw their swords as the monsters behind them began to stir.

"Makenna! Ryan! Fuse these doors together and keep them that way as long as you can!" he told them as he opened two steel gates on opposite sides of the hall and slammed them together.

Ryan and Makenna both cast powerful fire spells after Isaiah got clear and welded the steel doors together, preventing the various beasts beyond passage.

"That is not going to be enough!" Ryan yelled to Makenna.

Makenna immediately used a telekinesis spell and attempted to hold the gates together as they warped and bent under the might of the creatures behind it.

"Help them!" Makenna yelled to Ryan indicating Isaiah, Eyana, and Jaime as he held the distorted steel bars in place.

Ryan ran past Isaiah and Eyana and up beside Jaime as they braced themselves to fight the incoming Imperials. Isaiah and Eyana both nocked and fired arrows at one of the guards, but they both deflected off his heavy steel armor harmlessly.

Ryan and Jaime rushed the guards with weapons drawn. Jaime passed through the first guard that tried to attack him, but found no passage for his dagger once behind him. Ryan parried an attack with the sword in his left hand, but when he countered with his mace, he did not put even a scratch in the Imperial's heavy armor.

As Jaime and Ryan occupied five of them, one broke free and advanced towards Isaiah and Eyana. While both of them fired arrows at him, not one found its mark. The giant Imperial stood directly in front of Eyana and proceeded to raise his sword above his head. Eyana pulled back the string of her bow screaming without even nocking an arrow.

When she released the string, the fort went silent except for the creatures beyond Makenna. The Imperial in front of Eyana now had a smoking hole through his chest. Everyone in the room just stood and watched as the guard fell to the ground followed by his sword.

Eyana again raised her bow while pulling back the string, this time holding it long enough for everyone to see what was nocked in it. Between her fingers was a black bolt of lightning sending tendrils of dark electricity along the surfaces of the bow. Eyana released the bolt past the guards at the chains holding one of Fons' arms. The restraint snapped instantly, allowing Fons freedom.

"What are you doing!?" one of the guards shouted. "That beast could kill us all!"

"He won't kill us," Isaiah assured him. He pointed at the creatures in front of Makenna, "But those will."

Fons immediately grasped at the chain on his other arm and pulled it out of the floor followed by those around his legs. He quickly ran over and picked up two of the guards by their throats.

"Release them Alfonso," Isaiah ordered the transformed Nord.

Fons turned to him with a confused look then released the men.

"There's no way we can beat all of those monsters," one of the Imperials said frantically to the rest of the group.

"But it will be that much more difficult if we are fighting each other as well," Isaiah replied. "Truce? For now?"

"Deal," the lead Imperial said.

"Our biggest problem is the shade," Ryan told the group. "The only way to kill it is to pierce its heart, any other kind of wound and it will go unaffected."

"We're ready," the leader of the guards told Isaiah.

As soon as the group confirmed their alliance, the shade used its power to break Makenna's spell sealing the hallway. The creatures burst into the room while Makenna flew backwards to the opposite end.

The shade rushed to the side of the room where Makenna landed while the other Cards and the Imperials fought the tide of nightmarish monsters overtaking them.

"You are mine," the shade told Makenna as it closed on him.

"Not if I can help it!" he shouted back. He cast another telekinesis spell on a nearby sword and shield. The weapons picked themselves up off the floor and floated protectively in front of Makenna.

"So be it," the shade said in response to the hovering weapons. It cast a spell of its own on a pair of nearby battleaxes. The axes slammed the bottoms of their handles together, effectively making one twin-axe.

The axe began to spin in a windmill attack at the still grounded Makenna. The sword and shield moved in front of the giant rotating weapon to block it, but the shield was instantly splintered and although the sword managed to halt it, it began to bend under its force.

"You are strong," the shade commented, "no wonder Sithis wants you instead of me."

"What do you mean…" before he finished the question, Makenna realized what Hanele meant.

All in the ruin but Makenna and the shade lost their footing as the fort began to shake. Sunlight spilled over the dusty floor as a crack appeared in the ceiling above the hallway they had all come through. Suddenly the roof of the hallway caved in and none could see due to the dust and debris in the air.

When it cleared a Nord stood on the pile of rubble that used to be the ceiling. He stood hunched over a giant claymore planted in the stone where he landed. His armor was black dwarven steel that matched his dwarven claymore. As he straightened himself the Cards could see he was about as tall and powerfully built as Fons. He pulled his sword out of the ground and swung it in a wide arc, cutting a charging monster in half.

The battle between men and monsters had however continued to run its course despite the new combatant.

"Mind if I join you?" the Nord asked Isaiah. "I have business with that dark creature," he indicated the shade.

"If you can kill it, we welcome you to," Isaiah told him.

The Nord immediately began fighting his way over to Makenna and the shade.

Makenna's sword finally broke under the force of the axe and Makenna was left defenseless. The axes began their final swing, but were stopped by a black claymore.

"I will destroy you for what you have done to me evil creature!" the Nord yelled at the shade.

He flew backwards with a wave of the shade's hand. "Not your turn yet Christopher," it told him.

Makenna's hand glowed with electricity as he saw his chance to attack. When he released the lightning bolt however, it was met with one from the shade. Both let their power flow to the point where their spells met, a growing ball of electric energy. As Makenna emptied all the power he had available to keep the shade at bay, the shade still had enough to cast a telekinesis spell on a nearby sword.

As the shade sunk the steel into Makenna's heart, Christopher Showers simultaneously dipped his black sword into the shade's heart.

The ruin was filled with a huge electric explosion as the combine lightning spell of the shade and Makenna ended, destroying all but the Cards.


	35. A New Shade

When the smoke cleared, eight figures stood. Isaiah Osis, Alfonso Furey, Ryan Pryde, Eyana, and Jaime Weaver all rose, as well as Christopher Showers and a female Altmer none of them had ever seen before dressed in pale golden robes with bright aqua eyes and long golden hair to match. On the opposite side of the destroyed room, Makenna began to rise. He was different though. His blue mage robes were replaced with pitch black ones and glowing red highlights crossed his face.

"So this is the power you possessed Hanele?" Makenna asked the Altmer in a cruel and twisted voice. "I know… everything I could possibly want. So many secrets… forbidden knowledge…"

"Makenna…" Eyana began to approach him.

"Quiet!" he shouted at her as he waved his hand, sending her flying backwards. "Don't interrupt me now!"

Makenna simply floated there, arms outstretched trying to absorb this newfound power.

"You do not want that power Makenna!" the Altmer yelled to him. "It is tainted!"

"Silence!" he yelled again, this time sending Hanele careening into Fons. "You just want it back, I'll not let you take back what is mine now."

"What is happening to him?" Isaiah asked Hanele once she regained her footing.

"He is transforming into a shade," she told him, "replacing me…"

"Yes…" Makenna hissed. "Sithis will destroy you all… There'll be no stopping him this time…"

"How do we stop it?" Isaiah questioned as the rush of energy towards Makenna began to steal sound from the room.

"You cannot," she replied, "there must be a shade, a soul full of nothingness to balance existence."

"The hell I cannot!" Showers screamed as he attempted to plunge his blade into Makenna's heart.

The black dwarven steel bounced off a protective shell that had formed around Makenna.

After a few moments, just as the rush of energy became deafening, Makenna disappeared in a blink and a sonic boom.

"Where did he go?" Isaiah asked.

"To the Void," Hanele answered, "to visit his new master."


	36. The Full Deck

When the seven arrived back in Azura's realm, Alderich and Sumika were waiting for them in the throne room alongside Azura. They, like Makenna, had changed, but nothing so terrible as like Makenna. Their skin was now the same pale color as Azura's, the color of a Chimer. Alderich's eyes were now a silvery white to match his hair and Sumika's were a bright amber not so different from what the Dunmers' had been changed to. Alderich wore a cast over his left leg, presumably a souvenir from his encounter with the golem, he would not be fighting for a few weeks.

"Welcome Wild Cards," Azura greeted the group as they entered her throne room. "It is with mixed blessings you enter my hall."

"Indeed it is my lady," Isaiah agreed as he and the other six knelt.

"Rise, all of you," Azura told them.

"Where is Makenna?" Alderich asked the group. "And who are these two?"

"I am Christopher Showers," the black steel clad Nord introduced himself.

"And I am Hanele," the Altmer presented herself.

"Where is Makenna?" Alderich repeated.

"Your brother is serving as my replacement," Hanele told him regretfully.

"You…" Alderich stared at her. "You are the shade!" Alderich drew his sword and nearly fell over trying to overbalance on his broken leg.

"You are in no condition and she is no enemy," Isaiah told him.

"And you will have trouble learning your place," Azura told him.

"What does she mean by that?" Alfonso asked his leader.

"I am not the one to lead the Wild Cards anymore…" Isaiah told the eight others.

"Have any of you noticed how many you now number?" Azura asked them.

"Nine," Eyana said without placing any semblance on the number.

"One for each of the Aedra," Azura told them. "You nine assembled here represent the Nine Divines."

"I am not sure we understand," Sumika told the Daedric Prince.

"Only the Nine may combat Sithis as he tries to undo this existence," Hanele told them.

"Each of you has been chosen and blessed by one of the Nine to be their champions against the Lord of the Void," Azura told them. "As much as we daedra dislike the Aedra, we must respect their power in this world."

"Why us?" Alderich questioned astounded.

"I know not the reasons behind their choices," Azura said, "but I do see a power within each of you."

"Why does Sithis want us assembled if we are charged with stopping him?" Sumika brought around a valid point.

"As much as the Aedra need us to defend this world," Hanele started, "Sithis needs to destroy the Aedras' mortal anchors to Nirn to destroy it."

"The Prince of Destruction has torn down the barriers between Tamriel and Oblivion in an attempt to again reign on Tamriel's surface," Azura explained. "He has had an effect he did not foresee however: the barriers to Oblivion were tightly knit with those to the Void. Mehrunes Dagon's destruction of them has allowed Sithis passage as well."

"Why does Sithis not just leave Nirn be?" Ryan queried.

"He views existence as a blight on otherwise perfect nothingness," Hanele answered.

"What do we do?" Alderich asked.

"You are charged with restoring and defending the barriers between Nirn and the Void," Azura replied. "Even as we speak, Sithis' forces are attempting to weaken them in the various planes of Oblivion. You must travel the realms to repair them. But please keep in mind we daedra are proud creatures, many of us will see fit to fix the problem ourselves without your help, but only you may succeed. You must make them see this."

"How do we persuade Daedric Princes?" Christopher, to whom all of this was new, asked.

"Present yourselves as the champions of the Aedra and request to assist them," Azura answered. "Many of them will no doubt have trials for you to prove yourselves, but you must persuade them. Alderich, champion of the Dragon God of Time Akatosh, Isaiah Osis, champion of the Man-God Talos, Alfonso Furey, champion of the God of Mercy Stendarr, Ryan Pryde, champion of the God of Wisdom and Logic Julianos, Sumika, champion of the Goddess of Beauty Dibella, Eyana, champion of the Goddess of Air Kynareth, Jaime Weaver, champion of the God of the Cycle of Birth and Death Arkay, Christopher Showers, champion of the God of Communication Zenithar, and Hanele, champion of the Mother-Goddess Mara. You are existence's only hopes."

"So…" Sumika started. "If Isaiah is not to lead us anymore, who will?"

"The Nine are lead by Akatosh," Azura told her, "so his champion will lead the Wild Cards."

"It is yours Alderich…" Isaiah conceded.


End file.
